Catholic Relief Services Continues to Ship Urgently Needed Medical Aid to Iraq

Catholic Relief Services
Tuesday, 13 May 2003

A second Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Caritas Internationalis sponsored humanitarian convoy of vitally needed relief items has safely arrived in Baghdad. The three-vehicle convoy carried a load of more than 20 metric tons of medical supplies and medicines. The convoy's total value is $375,000. Caritas Internationalis is an international confederation of charitable organizations of the Catholic Church, including CRS.

The convoy, which originated in Amman, Jordan, arrived in Iraq last Sunday morning and traveled to the central Caritas warehouse in Baghdad, from where the medical items will be distributed to selected Baghdad hospitals. The shipment contains medical equipment such as syringes, intravenous infusions, stethoscopes, catheters and X-ray film. Also included are basic medicines such as antibiotics, local anesthesia, gastro internal medicine and emergency heart medication.

In addition to the medical supplies, the sick continue to receive treatment at Caritas Iraq's 14 centers throughout the country and its outreach centers in about 40 schools and churches, where displaced people have sought refuge from the war. The centers include medical teams comprising a medical doctor, health worker and social worker.

A first Caritas Internationalis sponsored humanitarian convoy of vitally needed relief items arrived in Baghdad last May 4th. The convoy comprised two trucks, carrying a load of more than 20 metric tons, with medicines to treat the needs of 25,000 people. The first load of relief items was distributed to the Caritas centers throughout Iraq to reach the needy.

Since the outbreak of war on March 19, Caritas Iraq's staff and volunteers inside Iraq have been providing first aid services to people injured in the bombardments, using medicine and equipment supplied by CRS and other Catholic agencies.

On April 2, CRS announced an international appeal for US$8.3 million to support more than 43,000 displaced families (more than 260,000 people) in Iraq over the next three months. The appeal is sponsored by Caritas Internationalis and implementation began immediately.

CRS is working with Caritas in Iraq to respond to the immediate needs of the vulnerable Iraqis and expands its efforts to save lives, work for peace and promote the dignity of each Iraqi citizen.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org