Spring Humanitarian Mission: Erbil, Kurdistan
Nestled within the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Erbil is home to thousands of refugees fleeing conflict and persecution. Access to healthcare is often limited, leaving many in need of surgical interventions and medical attention. Recognizing this urgent need, Swisscross has been working with local healthcare partners since 2021 to deliver life-changing surgeries and treatments to those who need it most.
[R-L] Dr Natasha Forster with Dr Sarmad Nashat and surgical nurse Sayran Mohamed operating on a 38 -year-old man who was injured in a bomb blast. April 2024.
Over the course of March and April 2024, Swisscross completed 30 surgical interventions, restoring function, alleviating pain, and offering a new lease on life to patients in need of orthopedic, and plastic surgeries.
Of the surgeries completed, 10 were orthopedic interventions, including nine knee surgeries by Prof Dr Deiary Kader, who flew in from the UK to join the team. Surgeons from the global corp team and local surgeons completed 20 plastic surgeries including for burn trauma, hands and amputations.
Plastic surgeon, Dr Mustafa Subhe in the operating room at Zheen International Hospital, Erbil. April 2024.
The March and April Humanitarian journey was a culmination of working closely with local healthcare professionals and NGOs including Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), who provided Swisscross with patient referrals from across the region.
This included 57 patients who were screened by our team, including 28 for plastic reconstructive surgery, and 29 for orthopedic interventions, many of who were under 18 years-old.
A young child at the screening clinic for a hand injury with Dr Mustafa Subhe, Dr Natasha Forster and Barzani Charity Foundation. April 2024.
In April our team also led breast reconstruction surgery on a woman who has had no access to surgery.
Breast cancer is now one of the leading causes of death in women. In low and middle income countries, like Iraq, vulnerable women are unable to or cannot afford access to treatment and care.
Swisscross is working with the Kurdish Ministry of Health and BCF to provide access to women seeking care.
The collaboration between Swisscross and its partners in Erbil signifies a strategic and coordinated response to addressing urgent complex surgical needs of some of the most vulnerable patients in the region, including refugees, displaced populations and poor and marginalized communities.
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