Abstract
Introduction
Since 2003, Iraq has struggled to build a single national health system administered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health, but politics, lack of leadership, and a cultural bias against treating soldiers in civilian hospitals have hindered access to care for members of Iraq’s armed forces who are wounded in combat.
Methods
U.S. surgeons are providing trauma care for Iraqi soldiers in American field hospitals, with more than 80% of hospital bed days occupied by Iraqis. At the same time, Iraqi hospitals have been treating the many civilian casualties of violence, and the Ministry of Health has greatly improved its emergency response and management capabilities over the past year.
Results
Ministry of Health hospitals have adequate surgical capabilities and bed capacity to care for both civilian and security forces casualties. Faltering attempts to develop a national health policy that provides comprehensive care for Iraqi Security Forces will jeopardize Iraq’s ability to assume responsibilities for the country’s national defense, and could delay the withdrawal of Coalition military forces from Iraq.
Conclusions
It is imperative that leadership of the new government of Iraq and the international surgical community strongly endorse the implementation of a single health care system for all Iraqis.
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References
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The opinions and assertions contained herein are those of the authors and do not reflect official U.S. policy or represent official views of the U.S. Government.
Dr. Jon C. Bowersox served as the adviser for Clinical Operations to the Iraqi Ministry of Health during 2003–2004 and returned to Iraq in October 2005 as the Health Attaché and Senior Adviser for Health Sector Reconstruction at the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad. He is a trauma and vascular surgeon, and a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Components.
Dr. Shakir Al-Ainachi, an orthopedic surgeon, was a brigadier general in the Iraq Army until 2003. He then became Director General of Clinical Operations, Iraqi Ministry of Health, before returning to clinical practice in Baghdad. He serves as an adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.
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Bowersox, J.C., Al-Ainachi, S. Who Will Care for Iraq’s Wounded Warriors? Health Policy and National Security. World J. Surg. 30, 1769–1773 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-006-0203-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-006-0203-5