Turkey to Provide Health Services in Iraq
Meanwhile, the Red Crescent will erect two satellite hospitalsin Iraq with the Ministry of Health’s cooperation. The Red Crescent’s 50-bed satellite hospitals, established in Silopi and Cukurca during the U.S.’ Iraq intervention, given to Turkish Armed Forces, will serve the Iraqi public.
42 general physicians and brain, heart, breast, plastic, pediatric surgery, internal illnesses and ear-nose-throat specialists will be posted at the two hospitals. In addition, four dentists, 16 medical practitioners, 16 registered nurses, four midwives, 20 technicians and eight assistant nurses will be on duty at the hospitals.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) Balikesir Deputy Turhan Comez will coordinate the Turkish Hospitals. Calling Turkey’s assistance to the Iraqi public a ‘historical responsibility’, Comez said: “We will do our best in those regions, in a humanitarian, political and economic sense. We will provide all forms of aid in order for Turkey’s prestige to be felt in the region.”
Turkey previously opened a 100-bed hospital and a school in Afghanistan city of Mezar-i Serif. The Red Crescent hospital staff were later replaced by Afghan doctors.
During the First World War, the Hilal-i Ahmer Society, which formed the foundation of today’s Red Crescent, opened hospitals in various cities of Iraq. These hospitals had provided medical support to both the regions’ people and the Ottoman army fighting in the southern front. The Ministry of Public Affairs’ Project will see Turkey return to the Middle East’s troubled region.
