The new neonatal intensive care unit at Heevi Paediatric Hospital in Dahok was opened on 12 October 2016. The opening was attended by representatives of WHO, the Italian Ambassador, a representative of OFDA, the Dahok Governor and Director-General of Dahok Directorate of HealthDahuk, 25 October 2016 – WHO, in collaboration with Dahok Directorate of Health, Sassari University and Associazione Italiana per la Solidarietà tra i Popoli (AISPO) opened a neonatal intensive care unit at Heevi Paediatric Hospital on 12 October 2016 in Dahok.
The new 9-bed capacity unit was established as part of a wider project coordinated between WHO, Dahok health authorities and the generous support of Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the Government of Kuwait to scale up the capacity of the hospital and ensure the delivery of quality services to internally displaced persons (IDPs), Syrian refugees, and the host community in the governorate.
The project was completed with WHO supporting the procurement and installation of the medical equipment, while construction work was funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by AISPO and Sassari University. WHO and AISPO provided technical and medical support.
The opening of the new neonatal intensive care unit was widely covered by the media“We are focusing efforts on building the capacity of local professionals to sustain interventions in protracted emergencies,” said Altaf Musani, WHO Representative to Iraq. “Our coordination with the Ministry of Health and partners and donors will continue to meet the urgent health needs of displaced populations and develop institutional capacity,” he added.
“The displacement crisis in June 2014 overburdened health facilities in the Dahok governorate due to the increased caseload and continuous exodus from governorates affected by the conflict, such as Ninewa, Salah Aldin, and Anbar,” said Dr Nizar Esmat, Director-General of Dahok Directorate of Health. “The expected displacement from Mosul may further exhaust the already over-stretched health system in the governorate which would require additional resources for emergency response interventions,” he noted.
Heevi Paediatric Hospital was identified as a top priority as it provided response capacity for IDPs, Syrian refugees, as well as the hosting community in the governorate. However, the new neonatal intensive care unit project is projected to increase capacity in the governorate, including that for the Mosul response. As of June 2015, the Directorate of Health of Dahok reported that a total of 9842 children visited the outpatient department of the hospital, 65% of whom were IDPs; 2135 children were examined at the emergency department, 80% of whom were IDPs; and 2138 newborn admissions, 75% of whom were IDPs. Reports also indicated a total of 31 128 newborns were admitted to the hospital in the last 12 months, 70% of whom were IDPs.
Related links
Associazione Italiana per la Solidarietà tra i Popoli (AISPO)
Italian Agency for Development Cooperation
For more information, please contact:
Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
WHO, Iraq
+974 7510101469
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The new neonatal intensive care unit at Heevi Paediatric Hospital in Dahok was opened on 12 October 2016. The opening was attended by representatives of WHO, the Italian Ambassador, a representative of OFDA, the Dahok Governor and Director-General of Dahok Directorate of HealthDahuk, 25 October 2016 – WHO, in collaboration with Dahok Directorate of Health, Sassari University and Associazione Italiana per la Solidarietà tra i Popoli (AISPO) opened a neonatal intensive care unit at Heevi Paediatric Hospital on 12 October 2016 in Dahok.
The new 9-bed capacity unit was established as part of a wider project coordinated between WHO, Dahok health authorities and the generous support of Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the Government of Kuwait to scale up the capacity of the hospital and ensure the delivery of quality services to internally displaced persons (IDPs), Syrian refugees, and the host community in the governorate.
The project was completed with WHO supporting the procurement and installation of the medical equipment, while construction work was funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by AISPO and Sassari University. WHO and AISPO provided technical and medical support.
The opening of the new neonatal intensive care unit was widely covered by the media“We are focusing efforts on building the capacity of local professionals to sustain interventions in protracted emergencies,” said Altaf Musani, WHO Representative to Iraq. “Our coordination with the Ministry of Health and partners and donors will continue to meet the urgent health needs of displaced populations and develop institutional capacity,” he added.
“The displacement crisis in June 2014 overburdened health facilities in the Dahok governorate due to the increased caseload and continuous exodus from governorates affected by the conflict, such as Ninewa, Salah Aldin, and Anbar,” said Dr Nizar Esmat, Director-General of Dahok Directorate of Health. “The expected displacement from Mosul may further exhaust the already over-stretched health system in the governorate which would require additional resources for emergency response interventions,” he noted.
Heevi Paediatric Hospital was identified as a top priority as it provided response capacity for IDPs, Syrian refugees, as well as the hosting community in the governorate. However, the new neonatal intensive care unit project is projected to increase capacity in the governorate, including that for the Mosul response. As of June 2015, the Directorate of Health of Dahok reported that a total of 9842 children visited the outpatient department of the hospital, 65% of whom were IDPs; 2135 children were examined at the emergency department, 80% of whom were IDPs; and 2138 newborn admissions, 75% of whom were IDPs. Reports also indicated a total of 31 128 newborns were admitted to the hospital in the last 12 months, 70% of whom were IDPs.
Related links
Associazione Italiana per la Solidarietà tra i Popoli (AISPO)
Italian Agency for Development Cooperation
For more information, please contact:
Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
WHO, Iraq
+974 7510101469
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
