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Kirkuk hospital, clinics receive medical supplies

By Sgt. Tony White

Coalition Forces delivered medical supplies and equipment to the Kirkuk General Hospital Sunday.

A local Iraqi stacks medical supplies Sunday at the Kirkuk General Hospital. The medical aid, supplied by Coalition Forces, will be distributed amongst the hospital and the local clinics.

The supplies will be distributed among the hospital and clinics in the Kirkuk area. Medical supplies in shortage, such as intravenous (IV) bags and burn blankets, were supplied by civil affairs Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division.

"God willing, these supplies will be helpful," said Ahmed Karman, an Iraqi pharmacist working in the medical warehouse at the Kirkuk General Hospital. "In the past we were forced to rely on the black market for medical supplies."

A local Iraqi wheels medical supplies into a medical warehouse Sunday at the Kirkuk General Hospital. The medical aid, supplied by Coalition Forces, will be distributed amongst the hospital and the local clinics.

Under normal situations the hospital and the clinics receive medical supplies from the Ministry of Health and the Red Cross, the pharmacist said.

"Most of our supplies come from Baghdad or Mosul," he said. "But everything depends on our ability to get to and from the cities. When there are transportation problems, there are shortages."

The Soldiers brought the warehouse burn blankets, bandages, needle disposal containers, IVs and accessories.

"Previously we have worked with individual clinics," said Maj. Paul Beekman, C Company, 402nd Civil Affairs team leader. "But this was the first time we have dropped off medical supplies to the hospital's warehouse. We are planning one more drop off, because we have more to give to them."

A local Iraqi unpacks medical supplies Sunday at the Kirkuk General Hospital. The medical aid, supplied by Coalition Forces, will be distributed amongst the hospital and the local clinics.

After taking a look inside, Beekman said the warehouse looked relatively barren.

"I think this drop off will have a huge impact on the hospital and the clinics," he said. "They have things like gauze and needles, but things like those are only intended to be used one time. Still (the Iraqi hospital and clinics) are very thankful for any supplies we can get them.

It is only a drop in the bucket to what the hospital and clinics need, Beekman said. But it is a start.