UPDATE: Centre of Excellence for Complex Care, Erbil, Iraq
The core team at the Centre of Excellence for Complex Care with local healthcare professionals in Erbil. Iraq.
The Centre of Excellence for Complex Care, in Erbil is officially open!
Our surgeons, volunteers, local medical professionals and partners in Erbil spent an intensive five days last week on patient screening at the Centre based at Zheen International Hospital, preparing the most critical cases for reconstructive surgeries later this month.
Swisscross put a call out for patient referrals in Erbil and Iraq in mid-September. We were overwhelmed by the response. Within 20 days we received over 500 patient referrals. Over 90 per cent are refugees and displaced populations in need of care for neglected injuries.
Patient referrals came from medical professionals at the KRG Ministry of Health, Barzani Charity Foundation and SWEDO, who are working across refugee and displacement settings in the Kurdistan region, Nadia's Initiative which advocates for survivors of sexual violence and rebuilding communities in crisis, and local health care workers who see those in need everyday.
Our volunteers found that the vast majority of patients screened for treatment were women and children suffering burn trauma, leaving them unable to move limbs, facial injuries and many with missing limbs, having faced years of pain and disability. One young boy - a 2 year-old Syrian refugee living in a camp in Erbil was left with 60% burns and lost two limbs after an RPG hit his home in the conflict in Syria.
There is no shortage of critical and debilitating injuries, in people affected by war and conflict.
As we head back to Iraq in two weeks for surgical procedures, we will continue to screen new patients, carry out further tests on patients not ready for surgery and provide complex care working alongside local medical professionals and our partners like UAE Aid.
We continue to make progress and appreciate the support and shared passion of Swisscross advocates for our mission to provide humanitarian reconstructive surgery to the most vulnerable communities.
To learn more and help us continue providing humanitarian surgery please follow the link: www.swisscross.org
