First time in Mosul: laparoscopic surgeries available to the needy, thanks to OFDA aid

The rehabilitation of the health system and the provision of an improved and specialized package of medical services in conflict-affected governorates like Ninewa, Anbar, Salah Aldin, and Kirkuk have been a top priority for WHO, the local health authorities, donors and partners. The once remarkable intervention of significant trauma and emergency response activities has now been shadowed by the new types of expanded specialized medical services directed at the most vulnerable segments of the population including the disabled.

Al Athba Field Hospital, as was previously called, constructed by WHO on the battle frontlines in Mosul to respond to the trauma needs of the liberation operation in 2016, is now Al Jumhori Hospital for specialized medical services in West Mosul.

To cope with the newly emerging recovery needs in the area, the hospital has taken extra steps to expand the types of surgical services it delivers to include laparoscopic surgical operations in addition to a wider range of specialized outpatient consultations, which include ophthalmological, cardiovascular and fascia-maxillary services.

“Having laparoscopic surgery techniques in our hospital is a big move towards improving the medical services in Mosul, credit is for the genuine support from WHO and OFDA,” said Dr. Nashat Ganim Al-Khaiat, Manager of Al-Jumhori Hospital.

Aged 48, Nadia Mohammed is the first patient treated with the use of the laparoscope in the mentioned hospital. She and her eight-member family recently returned to Mosul after over three years of challenging life in an internally displaced population camp.

“I suffered from recurrent cholecystitis disease that affected my lifestyle and exhausted my family resources. It required a gallbladder removal which I couldn’t afford doing in private hospitals,” she said. “I was the first to undergo the operation in Al-Jumhori Hospital and is recovering quickly, I have even returned to normal as you can see,” she explained.

The hospital, one of many others supported by WHO through funds from the United States Aid Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is improving the quality of health services in Ninewa Governorate by adopting modern techniques and providing specialized surgical services.

However, more efforts and resources are still needed to cover the increasing demand for health care services for millions of returnees and displaced people in liberated- now under recovery areas.

WHO would like to express its gratitude to the United States Aid Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) for their generous financial support which is contributing significantly to building the resilience of the affected population and moving forward with the recovery and revitalization of essential and specialized health services.