Category: Healthcare News

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UNHCR Iraq Protection Update

Highlights

▪ 11,292 refugees crossed into Iraq since the commencement of hostilities.

▪ The number of refugees entering the KR-I continues to increase. On average, over 1,200 new arrivals were recorded on a daily basis during the past seven days.

▪ Bardarash Camp has reached its capacity, new arrivals will now be hosted in Gawilan camp

▪ The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, visited Bardarash camp on Wednesday 23 October 2019.

▪ Over 400 individuals have been cleared to leave Bardarash Camp for family reunification in towns and communities in KRI.

▪ Kurdistan Region of Iraq authorities confirmed that all informal borders will remain open for Syrians to seek safety

Key figures

Estimated planning figures for potential refugee influx from North East Syria 50,000 individuals in six months

10,699 individuals hosted in Bardarash camp as of 25 October 2019

Existing Population of Concern in Iraq

270,844 Refugees and Asylum-Seekers (as of 30 September 2019)

229,285 Syrian refugees (as of 30 September)

1,55 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) (as of 31 August 2019)

4,35 million Returnees (as of 31 August 2019)

Contingency stock CRIs and tents for 10,000 families in country

Population movement

As of 25 October 2019, 11,292 refugees have crossed through informal crossing points since 14 October. Most of the refugees arriving are from northern Syria – Sare Kani village, Qamishly city, Hassaka governorate, Gre Spe village, Darbasiya village, Til Tamir village, Derike village and Amoda village.

A total of 10,699 refugees are now hosted in Bardarash camp, and 180 refugees are hosted in Domiz I camp. 413 refugees have left Bardarash Camp, after security clearance by Assayesh and registration with UNHCR, either for family reunification or because they have been identified as extremely vulnerable individuals. UNHCR has been informed that from today, 26 October, family reunification will only be possible for those who have family ties in Duhok governorate.

Board of Relief and Humanitarian Affairs (BRHA) agreed with UNHCR and other humanitarian actors that from 26 October new arrivals will be accommodated in Gawilan Camp, which is 30 km further south of Bardarash camp. New tents have been pitched and the new sector in Gawilan can accommodate up to 1,588 families. Gawilan camp was established in September 2013 and currently accommodates 8,115 Syrian refugees. New arrivals will be able to access existing services. In the event that Gawilan Camp reaches its full capacity as well, new arrivals will be accommodated in Garmawa IDP Camp.

Discussions are ongoing regarding the IDP population currently living in Garmawa camp.
KRI Authorities confirmed that all informal entry points will remain open for Syrian refugees (including Al Walid), however, people entering through these crossing points will be directly transferred by Assayesh to Sahela transit site. Al Walid transit site will no longer host refugees overnight.

UNHCR in collaboration with the BRHA, UNICEF and Assayesh identified a new transit site near Sahela crossing point. The new site (Sahela 2) is located before the main Assayesh check point and allows easier access for humanitarian agencies. Since Syrian refugees arrive during the night and will be transported from all five crossing points to Sahela, they will overnight at the Sahela transit site where they go through initial security screening before being transported to camps.
UNHCR is currently installing three additional rubb halls in Sahela, in addition to the existing rubb hall, two prefab offices, and the covered hall in order to accommodate the large number of people who will be spending the night there. After the current installations are finalized, Sahela 1 and 2 transit sites will have the capacity to host between up to 2,500 individuals per night.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and MedAir are providing primary health services at Sahela crossing point during the day while Samaritan’s Purse covers the night shift. Directorate General of Health (DOH) continues to provide vaccinations.

(Source: ReliefWeb)

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MSF providing Care in Iraq to Syrian Refugees

By John Lee.

Doctors Without Borders /Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has issued a statement on the situation along the Iraq-Syria border:

As people continue to flee conflict in northeast Syria for Iraq, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has launched medical activities at one site receiving refugees in Iraq along the border with Syria and has assessed mental health needs in Bardarash camp, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

“Immediately after the fighting in northeast Syria started, we quickly assessed different locations including reception sites at the Iraq-Syria border, and camps where we learned that refugees were going to be hosted,” said Marius Martinelli, MSF project manager.

“In these types of assessments, we evaluate the site’s infrastructure, look at the services available, and coordinate with other organisations and authorities to determine and implement as rapidly as possible the most relevant activities for the people arriving.”

Click here to read the full report.

(Source: MSF)

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MSF providing Care in Iraq to Syrian Refugees

By John Lee.

Doctors Without Borders /Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has issued a statement on the situation along the Iraq-Syria border:

As people continue to flee conflict in northeast Syria for Iraq, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has launched medical activities at one site receiving refugees in Iraq along the border with Syria and has assessed mental health needs in Bardarash camp, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

“Immediately after the fighting in northeast Syria started, we quickly assessed different locations including reception sites at the Iraq-Syria border, and camps where we learned that refugees were going to be hosted,” said Marius Martinelli, MSF project manager.

“In these types of assessments, we evaluate the site’s infrastructure, look at the services available, and coordinate with other organisations and authorities to determine and implement as rapidly as possible the most relevant activities for the people arriving.”

Click here to read the full report.

(Source: MSF)

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FAO, WFP support Sustainable Livelihoods in Iraq

Today on World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) renewed their commitment to supporting the government of Iraq in ensuring that all Iraqis have food security by 2030, with a focus on nutritious food and sustainable livelihoods.

“World Food Day is when we confirm and work to achieve our commitment towards Zero Hunger. In Iraq, FAO will be further cooperating with WFP to provide capacity development and rural income generation programmes for farmers.

FAO is supporting the rehabilitation of water infrastructure, value chains development, the fishery sector and introducing smart agriculture practices in response to country priorities and climate change impact,” said FAO Representative in Iraq Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan.

The 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between FAO and WFP fosters closer collaboration on longer-term initiatives. Activities will include restoring irrigation canals, instituting sustainable practices such as planting productive trees, and providing inputs such as seeds and tools.

Through such programmes, vulnerable people will receive an income, can get back to work following displacement due to conflict, and continue to farm and grow their own food.

As well as enhanced nutrition awareness for Iraqi citizens, in the coming year, climate change adaptation will be a priority so that communities are better able to recover from climate-related shocks. FAO and WFP are striving to build social cohesion through collective livelihoods rehabilitation. WFP recently reopened its office in Basra to help coordinate activities next year in the south, where vulnerability and poverty indicators are worst.

“In this rehabilitation phase, FAO and WFP are working on livelihoods projects to bring communities together, and contribute to improving long-term self-sufficiency,” said Abdirahman Meygag, WFP Iraq Representative. “We see our climate change adaptation activities as being crucial for food security and the country’s recovery.”

FAO and WFP will also share expertise on information management and assessments, for evidence-based programming that targets the most vulnerable. Programmes are designed together with the government, for and with communities. The two agencies will also coordinate with partners on livelihoods activities, to maximise income-generating opportunities for those in most need.

(Source: UN)

Posted on

FAO, WFP support Sustainable Livelihoods in Iraq

Today on World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) renewed their commitment to supporting the government of Iraq in ensuring that all Iraqis have food security by 2030, with a focus on nutritious food and sustainable livelihoods.

“World Food Day is when we confirm and work to achieve our commitment towards Zero Hunger. In Iraq, FAO will be further cooperating with WFP to provide capacity development and rural income generation programmes for farmers.

FAO is supporting the rehabilitation of water infrastructure, value chains development, the fishery sector and introducing smart agriculture practices in response to country priorities and climate change impact,” said FAO Representative in Iraq Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan.

The 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between FAO and WFP fosters closer collaboration on longer-term initiatives. Activities will include restoring irrigation canals, instituting sustainable practices such as planting productive trees, and providing inputs such as seeds and tools.

Through such programmes, vulnerable people will receive an income, can get back to work following displacement due to conflict, and continue to farm and grow their own food.

As well as enhanced nutrition awareness for Iraqi citizens, in the coming year, climate change adaptation will be a priority so that communities are better able to recover from climate-related shocks. FAO and WFP are striving to build social cohesion through collective livelihoods rehabilitation. WFP recently reopened its office in Basra to help coordinate activities next year in the south, where vulnerability and poverty indicators are worst.

“In this rehabilitation phase, FAO and WFP are working on livelihoods projects to bring communities together, and contribute to improving long-term self-sufficiency,” said Abdirahman Meygag, WFP Iraq Representative. “We see our climate change adaptation activities as being crucial for food security and the country’s recovery.”

FAO and WFP will also share expertise on information management and assessments, for evidence-based programming that targets the most vulnerable. Programmes are designed together with the government, for and with communities. The two agencies will also coordinate with partners on livelihoods activities, to maximise income-generating opportunities for those in most need.

(Source: UN)

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New USAID Funding for Victims of ISIS Genocide

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green announced the first tranche of recipients under USAID’s New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) on Thursday during his remarks at the Accord Network’s Annual Forum.

The organizations will carry out programs that improve global health outcomes in USAID’s partner countries, and assist populations in the Republic of Iraq that are recovering from the genocide perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Administrator Green launched the NPI in May 2019 to expand and diversify USAID’s partner base and change the way the Agency does business. By working with new or underutilized partners, the Agency hopes to bring more innovative approaches to U.S. foreign assistance; focus on strengthening capacity and commitment in partner countries by tapping into existing networks of community- and faith-based organizations; and reach new populations.

Administrator Green also announced a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province. Long-time USAID partner Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million of that total.

New USAID Assistance Through the NPI Direct to Local Iraqi Groups That Are Helping Victims of ISIS Genocide

USAID is awarding small grants through the NPI that total approximately $4 million to six local groups in Northern Iraq to help religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS. The new NPI implementers in Northern Iraq are the following:

Philadelphia Organization for Relief and Development: The award will establish a community center in the town of Qaraqosh to provide services for people with disabilities, training in employment skills, child care, and a community food bank.

Catholic University of Erbil: The award will provide classes in business language and computer software for widows, victims of abuse, and former captives of ISIS.

Top Mountain: The award will support a business incubator and employment program for Iraqi youth, which will promote entrepreneurship, provide business training, and build commercial networks.

Shlama Foundation: The award seeks to improve job opportunities through training engineers on the installation on solar power, provide electricity for families, and install solar-powered pumps for farms and street lighting for villages.

Beth Nahrain: The award will help re-establish a local, women-led organization decimated by ISIS. The organization will also provide small-business vocational training to women in the Nineveh Plains.

Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights: The award will provide trauma-rehabilitation and resilience services to survivors of genocide; legal services and programs in justice/reparations; and activities to promote inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue.

The United States remains committed to supporting persecuted religious and ethnic minorities in Northern Iraq. With these new awards, the total assistance the U.S. Government has provided since 2017 in Northern Iraq is now more than $400 million. These programs complement H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018, which passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and which President Donald J. Trump signed into law on December 11, 2018. Additional U.S. humanitarian assistance has also benefited the same Iraqi communities.

New Funding for the IOM and Samaritan’s Purse to Help Victims of ISIS Genocide

Administrator Green also announced at the Accord Network that Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million as a part of a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province in Iraq.

New USAID Assistance in Global Health Through the NPI

Administrator Green also announced two new awards under the Agency’s NPI for global health. These awards, which total $68 million, will leverage the expertise and reach of local and locally established civil society and faith- and community-based organizations to increase the quality, access, and sustainability of health care.

The new NPI implementers for global health are the following:

World Relief: Working with local partners, World Relief will expand and leverage existing community networks in four countries to help strengthen maternal, reproductive, and child health at the local level.

Palladium International: This program will help reach USAID’s goal of increasing access to, and the uptake of, high-quality health care across priority areas, in line with USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance. The partner will provide sub-awards to local organizations, along with mentoring and technical support to strengthen their capacity. Palladium will be expected to pass sixty-five percent of the total award to new and underutilized sub-awardees.

(Source: USAID)

Posted on

New USAID Funding for Victims of ISIS Genocide

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green announced the first tranche of recipients under USAID’s New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) on Thursday during his remarks at the Accord Network’s Annual Forum.

The organizations will carry out programs that improve global health outcomes in USAID’s partner countries, and assist populations in the Republic of Iraq that are recovering from the genocide perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Administrator Green launched the NPI in May 2019 to expand and diversify USAID’s partner base and change the way the Agency does business. By working with new or underutilized partners, the Agency hopes to bring more innovative approaches to U.S. foreign assistance; focus on strengthening capacity and commitment in partner countries by tapping into existing networks of community- and faith-based organizations; and reach new populations.

Administrator Green also announced a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province. Long-time USAID partner Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million of that total.

New USAID Assistance Through the NPI Direct to Local Iraqi Groups That Are Helping Victims of ISIS Genocide

USAID is awarding small grants through the NPI that total approximately $4 million to six local groups in Northern Iraq to help religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS. The new NPI implementers in Northern Iraq are the following:

Philadelphia Organization for Relief and Development: The award will establish a community center in the town of Qaraqosh to provide services for people with disabilities, training in employment skills, child care, and a community food bank.

Catholic University of Erbil: The award will provide classes in business language and computer software for widows, victims of abuse, and former captives of ISIS.

Top Mountain: The award will support a business incubator and employment program for Iraqi youth, which will promote entrepreneurship, provide business training, and build commercial networks.

Shlama Foundation: The award seeks to improve job opportunities through training engineers on the installation on solar power, provide electricity for families, and install solar-powered pumps for farms and street lighting for villages.

Beth Nahrain: The award will help re-establish a local, women-led organization decimated by ISIS. The organization will also provide small-business vocational training to women in the Nineveh Plains.

Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights: The award will provide trauma-rehabilitation and resilience services to survivors of genocide; legal services and programs in justice/reparations; and activities to promote inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue.

The United States remains committed to supporting persecuted religious and ethnic minorities in Northern Iraq. With these new awards, the total assistance the U.S. Government has provided since 2017 in Northern Iraq is now more than $400 million. These programs complement H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018, which passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and which President Donald J. Trump signed into law on December 11, 2018. Additional U.S. humanitarian assistance has also benefited the same Iraqi communities.

New Funding for the IOM and Samaritan’s Purse to Help Victims of ISIS Genocide

Administrator Green also announced at the Accord Network that Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million as a part of a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province in Iraq.

New USAID Assistance in Global Health Through the NPI

Administrator Green also announced two new awards under the Agency’s NPI for global health. These awards, which total $68 million, will leverage the expertise and reach of local and locally established civil society and faith- and community-based organizations to increase the quality, access, and sustainability of health care.

The new NPI implementers for global health are the following:

World Relief: Working with local partners, World Relief will expand and leverage existing community networks in four countries to help strengthen maternal, reproductive, and child health at the local level.

Palladium International: This program will help reach USAID’s goal of increasing access to, and the uptake of, high-quality health care across priority areas, in line with USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance. The partner will provide sub-awards to local organizations, along with mentoring and technical support to strengthen their capacity. Palladium will be expected to pass sixty-five percent of the total award to new and underutilized sub-awardees.

(Source: USAID)

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PM Rejects Resignation of Health Minister

By John Lee.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has reportedly rejected the resignation of the health minister Ala Al Alwan (pictured).

Citing problems with blackmail and corruption, it was the minister’s second attempt to resign, having been persuaded to remain after a previous attempt in March.

More here.

(Source: The National)

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PM Rejects Resignation of Health Minister

By John Lee.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has reportedly rejected the resignation of the health minister Ala Al Alwan (pictured).

Citing problems with blackmail and corruption, it was the minister’s second attempt to resign, having been persuaded to remain after a previous attempt in March.

More here.

(Source: The National)

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WFP Iraq Country Brief, July 2019

In Numbers

  • 378,787 people assisted in July 2019
  • 1,87 mt of food assistance distributed
  • USD 3.04 million cash-based transfers made
  • USD 68.2 million six months (August 2019 – WFP January 2020) net funding requirements

Operational Updates

  • In July, WFP delivered food assistance to 378,787 people in 10 governorates, reaching 89.7 percent of the monthly target of 422,376 people. This is mainly due to some delays in Mobile Money Transfers (MMT) payments to people assisted due to banking regulations issues. WFP Iraq is taking steps to resolve this by opening a local bank account in Iraqi dinars.
  • WFP Iraq continues to coordinate with the Ministry of Migration and Displacement (MoMD) to meet the food needs of IDPs. In Anbar, Ninewa and Salah al-Din, WFP delivered a “top-up” to MoMD’s assistance. This represents around 65 to 70 percent of the total entitlement provided by MoMD and mainly consists of cereals and lentils (50 kg per-household) to complement MoMD’s food basket, or a cash transfer of 11,000 IQD.
  • General food assistance to refugees is now being delivered through MMT. The transition from e-vouchers included successful rounds of SIM card distributions in nine camps, with good coordination between WFP teams, partners, camp management and Financial Service Provider (FSP) teams.
  • In close coordination with the Ministry of Education, preparations are underway to resume School Feeding in October for the new academic year. A Call for Proposals for cooperating partners took place, and recruitment for the new team is also starting.
  • Over 1,000 students graduated from the first cycle of EMPACT digital skills training. They are now enrolled in advanced (Level 2) courses focusing on advanced digital skills and English. Outreach is underway for the second cycle of new students to begin Level 1 classes in August. WFP Iraq’s sub-offices have received a donation of Google Chromebooks, which will be handed over to EMPACT classrooms for participants to use for freelance work from August.
  • As part of the testing phase of the digitalisation of Iraq’s Public Distribution System (PDS) social safety locations in Anbar governorate. The first ePDS distributions took place in Duhok and Najaf, and the second distribution cycle took place in Baghdad.
  • In partnership with Mosul University, WFP Iraq’s Resilience team has begun the “three-pronged approach” (3PA) training for the planning of resilience projects. The 3PA takes into account the nationwide, seasonal/livelihoods and community levels for planning.

(Source: WFP)