Mobile Medical Clinics (MMC) - connects patients to health care in camps in Iraq

Amira, aged 5, from Ramadi City, Iraq, is one of the tens of thousands refugees and migrants in need of health care. The arrival of a mobile primary health care clinic is giving her a reason to smile:

“I was sick and I was afraid of what could happen to me. The mobile clinic staff provided me with a sense of protection. I now have the strength to help my family, think about my future and I sure can’t wait to go back to school”, she said.

The scale of this emergency has increased exponentially and has become increasingly more complex. There is a pressing urgency to reach every person, especially the most disadvantaged with much needed health care.

WHO, health cluster partners and the Ministry of Health of Iraq work together to engage local public health partners, citizens, key stakeholders and civil society in the planning and implementation of community-based health initiatives. It was necessary to use efficient and local solutions: sharing information face-to-face in the community.

One of the initiatives was to establish mobile clinics in hard to reach areas in Iraq.

The new Mobile Clinic project is geared to improve health outcomes and the quality of life in IDP through direct medical and health care services, health promotion and disease prevention activities, social support, case management services and referral to medical and social resources in the community.

Amira is one of the many people among adults and children requiring care at the IDP. Today, according to UN reports, approximately 3.3 million people are displaced and would benefit from direct access to health care services.

Acting WHO Representative Altaf Musani pointed out that “Mobile clinics give us an insight on people’s health histories to be able us to prevent and treat health conditions accordingly. Moreover, those displaced feel a sense of security when seeing a doctor in the field”.

We need to expand this type of services throughout Iraq by December this year. It is achievable to provide outreach health services in and out of camps by equally empowering communities, he adds.

Currently, WHO has provided Iraq with 27 Mobile Medical Clinics and 30 Ambulances. This is being supplemented with needed to training and capacity building of health personnel to ensure quality health care.

Photos the mobile clinic that is supported by WHO working in one of Amriyat Al-Fallujah camp. The Mobile Medical Clinics (MMCs) have been in circulation in Iraq for about a year.

They are linked to the current health system. MMCs are located at Anbar Governorate, Baghdad Governorate, Kirkuk, Diyala, Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniyah.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Rosane Lopes, Communications Officer| World Health Organization, Iraq Country Office |

lopesr@who.int | +964 7809 288 614

Ms. Ajyal Sultany, Communications Officer | World Health Organization, Iraq Country Office|

sultanya@who.int | +964 7510 101 469