Health Committee revives health sector in al-Raqqa

NAJBIR OTHMAN – AZAD SEFO / AL-RAQQA

The Health Committee is one of the most important committees established immediately after the liberation of al-Raqqa city from IS mercenaries, who brought with it during the occupation of the city of destruction to all services and social areas, and among those areas is the health sect, which collapsed and won its share during the battles that took place in the city.

The health committee, consisting of a chairman, three deputies and a number of members divided into health centers, is one of the committees of al-Raqqa's Civil Council, the purpose of establishing the committee is to improve and enhance the health situation in al-Raqqa city and provide all medical supplies to the people.

When the city was completely liberated from IS mercenaries and the people return of the population gradually, the need to provide them with basic necessities was required.

The health committee started its work by launching awareness campaigns for the people on how to prevent diseases because the city has gone through a state of war, while the committee launched campaigns for children's vaccine to avoid diseases such as leishmania disease.

In addition to the opening of many medical centers in the city and its countryside, to provide medical needs and first aid to the people, the committee also started the renovation of the national hospital in the center of the city.

The committee also started following up the work of pharmacies located in the city and granting licenses to pharmacies, it also opened several medical points in the city, because the area was completely free of medical points, because of the conditions that passed, where the number of points that opened to 16 points, including the city center and countryside, as well as mobile clinics between the villages to provide first aid.

While the Kurdish Red Crescent opened its center in al-Jazra junction, which includes clinics for internal diseases, women and children, and a mobile medical point including the western countryside, and another point in al-Karama covering the eastern line completely.

The Committee also started the campaign of vaccination, including five consecutive campaigns, including all the countryside of the city and the city, in the city, twin campaigns started from Saif al-Dawla towards the countryside and included polio and measles vaccines, measles vaccine is the first vaccine to be carried out after 3 years.

The Health Committee in al-Raqqa has granted licenses to 6 private hospitals within the city, two of which are in the city's countryside, the hospitals provide good services to citizens, in addition, the obstetric hospital is opened, which carries out 15 cesarean sections and 25 natural births every day, and a special children's wing was opened in the hospital where it provides medical service for children through consultations and first aid.

The opening of several hospitals in al-Raqqa city was necessary for the blood bank, the Committee initiated the opening of the Blood Bank at Saif al-Dawla Center, including a permanent vaccine center, in addition to thalassemia center, which treats 177 children through free blood transfusion.

The committee plans to implement a number of future projects, namely the rehabilitation of the northern wing of the National General Hospital, while the workshops are undergoing the process of restoration of the hospital, and will be later the appointment of medical staff of the hospital, where the hospital will be opened if fully equipped.

According to officials, the restoration will be completed within three months, and this step is important for the people because most of the hospitals have received their share of destruction, the Committee continues to deploy medical points throughout the city and the countryside.

The head of the health committee Ahmed Ismail talked about the problems experienced by the health sector and pointed out that the main problem is the lack of public hospitals, saying that if the National Hospital was not opened in all parts we would see a shortage in the health field.

"The people need to provide free medical supplies because the city was liberated recently, we see every day an increase in the proportion of returnees to the city."

H/S

ANHA