Weiterstadt, Germany — On May 28, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) delivered 16 tons of medicine, valued at $280,000 to hospitals and clinics in the Tel Afar, Sinjar, and Al Ba’aj regions of Iraq. More than 20 doctors, pharmacists, and assistants met ADRA at the Turkish/Iraqi border to receive the medicine as part of the third phase of an ADRA relief project.

In May 2003, ADRA delivered relief supplies to the area west of Mosul in Northern Iraq. While there, an assessment of the public health system found dedicated medical staff but a serious shortage of medicine. ADRA began a relief project to provide critical drugs to three public hospitals and 31 clinics serving an ethnically diverse population of Turcoman, Kurds, and Arabs numbering more than 1.2 million. The total value of medicines ADRA has sent to Iraq during the three phases is $1 million.

The drug shortages and medicine rationing that were evident in the initial assessment have deteriorated. While delivering the second phase shipment of medicine Alex Balint, country director for ADRA Turkey, visited several pharmacies. “I found shelves bare of all but the most basic drugs. There was aspirin but nothing else,” reported Balint.

This is the third shipment of medicines ADRA has provided Iraq. With such instability and uncertainty surrounding their lives and future, many of the doctors expressed thanks that people from outside their country would care enough to provide help.

ADRA is present in more than 120 countries providing individual and community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, or ethnicity. Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

Frank Brenda, ADRA Germany