OPERATIONS UPDATE. Iraqi Red Crescent Organization

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1 OPERATIONS UPDATE Iraqi Red Crescent Organization ھیي ة الھلال الا حمر العراقي ده ستھ ى ما نگى سورى عیراقى Sadr City Relief operation 22 April 2008 This report covers the period of 16 April to 20 May 2008 The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization is an independent voluntary organization that works to alleviate the suffering of people without discrimination, during armed conflicts as well as natural disasters. It is also an auxiliary body to the public authorities in responding to humanitarian needs. The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization has 18 branches and 365 offices and representatives covering all governorates in Iraq. Iraqi Red Crescent volunteers responding to the needs the affected population in Sadr City Summary Residents of Sadr City have been living in a stressful situation since 40 days as a result of the military operations and closures. The situation resulted in human and material losses, which had negatively impacted the humanitarian situation in the city. Sadr City area is considered the largest suburb of Baghdad and the most densely populated. According to the Iraqi government statistics, 2-3 million people reside in Sadr City in 79 sectors. Most residents may be classified as tribal community from the middle and lower working class. There are two main hospitals in Sadr City- Imam Ali Hospital and Sadr Hospital, in addition to a number of public clinics. The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization worked through its offices in Sadr City and in the neighboring areas (Shama'ya, Al-Ma'amel and Al-Baladiyat) to deliver emergency assistance to the affected people in Sadr City. The Iraqi Red Crescent also supported the rescue and evacuation of the wounded. Iraqi Red Crescent volunteer teams carried out rapid assessments in the affected areas to identify the needs of the residents and to deliver urgently needed assistance. During this reporting period more than 64,015 people benefited from the Iraqi Red Crescent relief operation in Sadr City, including 11,480 women and 42,770 children less than 12 years. The provided assistance included distribution of food aid and emergency medical supplies. The Iraqi Red Crescent needs the support of its partners to meet the needs of the affected people for food, relief items, water and shelter. Background and humanitarian context During the past 40 days, the clashes between the Mehdi Army and government security forces in Sadr City, which is located at the northeastern edge of Baghdad, resulted in thousand wounded and some 600 to 1,200 people killed. Movement restrictions and curfew in several sectors of Sadr city were imposed. The military operations in the area resulted in damage to water and sewage networks. The situation had tragic humanitarian consequences in terms of access to water, fuel, food and education and damage to the infrastructure, especially in sectors 1 12, where the military operations were concentrated,

2 which resulted in internal displacement. Many shops and food stores were burned down during the clashes, thus affecting access of the population to food and other supplies. Health facilities face operational difficulties due to shortage in medical supplies and need urgent support. Movement restriction in the area interrupted the provision of essential services in the above mentioned sectors. The areas adjacent to Sadr City, which are considered an extension of the city and having the same social fabric, witnessed the bulk of the population movement. The security situation and movement restrictions in the area hindered the humanitarian work of the Iraqi Red Crescent Organization. This problem was minimized through effective coordination with the relevant governmental agencies. Also, Iraqi Red Crescent organized voluntary teams to: Carry out field assessments to identify the needs of the residents in the sectors affected by the military operations. Assess the needs of the main hospitals and health centers in the city. The results of the field assessments highlighted the following: 1. Acute shortage of food and drinking water in sectors Limited population movement from sectors 1 12 to adjacent areas. 3. Acute shortage in some medical items in the two main hospitals in Sadr City (Imam Ali Hospital and Sadr Hospital) Beneficiaries: Table 1 illustrates the number of people who benefited from the Iraqi Red Crescent relief operation in Sadr City. A total of 64,015 people benefited from food distribution and an unknown number of people benefited from the medical supplies donated to the two main hospitals in Sadr City. Table 1: Distribution of beneficiaries by program for the reporting period 16 April 20 May 2008 Program Health relief (field hospitals, clinics, health education, etc) Psychological support Food aid Total number of families assisted Total number of people assisted % Male % Female % Children (under 12 years) ,145 64, distribution Non-food relief Shelter TOTAL 9,145 64,015 Comment The two main hospitals in Sadr City received medical supplies and medicines The Iraqi Red Crescent raised the level of its preparedness Coordination and cooperation The Iraqi Red Crescent established a main operations room at its Headquarters. Membership of the operations room includes the Secretary General, representatives of disaster management, logistics, health and administration and human resources departments and director of center, south and Al-Rasafa offices. A secondary operations room was also established in Al-Rasafa sector and included the director of the sector, Disaster Management director and coordinator, health coordinator, information coordinator and directors of the Iraqi Red Crescent offices in the areas adjacent to Sadr City. 2

3 The Iraqi Red Crescent coordinated its activities through its offices in Al-Rasafa, and center and south of Sadr City (Sadr 1 office, Sadr 2 office, Hai Tareq office, Orfalli office and Al-Shama'ya office), in addition to offices in the adjacent areas (Al-Baladiyat, Al-Huseiniya and Al-Ma'amel). The two operations rooms and the Disaster Management department coordinate the Iraqi Red Crescent relief activities with governmental agencies, including: Governorate council Municipality council Ministry of Defense Ministry of Interior Ministry of Health Law and order operations room The Iraqi Red Crescent named a coordinator for Governmental agencies to facilitate access and delivery of food, relief and medical aid to the areas under siege. Iraqi Red Crescent Actions Overall goal of the operation: Alleviate the suffering of the people affected by the current situation in Sadr City through delivering relief, health and food aid to the most vulnerable. Health Objective: Ensure the delivery of urgently needed medical supplies and medicines to the main hospitals in Sadr City The two main hospitals in Sadr City (Imam Ali and Sadr hospitals) operate with limited medical supplies and medicines. Also, the closures in the area affected the accessibility of the affected population to these hospitals. The Iraqi Red Crescent volunteers, who are affiliated to the offices in Sadr City, carried out the following activities: Assessment of the urgent needs of the two hospitals. Identified and prioritized the needs with focus on first aid and emergency needs. Supplied the two hospitals with the medical supplies listed in table 2, on 30 April Supplied the two hospitals with the medical supplies and medicines that were identified by the assessment as listed in table 3. This activity took place on 10 May Table 2: Medical supplies delivered to the two main hospitals in Sader city Item Unit Quantity 1. Disinfectant (Heptin) 5-liter gallon 3 2. Cotton swaps 100 piece packet 9 3. Cotton rolls Roll- 90 cm x 91 m 3 4. Cotton rolls Roll, 500 gm 9 5. Adhesive tape Roll Miscellanies items of medical supplies Different quantities 7. First aid kits Small kit Stretchers Piece Blood bags Carton- 60 pieces in each Intravenous solutions Carton- 12 pieces in each First aid kits Large kits 20 3

4 Table 3: Medical supplies purchased for the two main hospitals in Sader city Item Unit Quantity 1. Ringer lactate Bag Saline intravenous solution Bag Dextrose intravenous solution Bag Surgical sutures Dozen Paracetol Ampoule Hydrocortisone Vial Flamazine ointment Tube Stretcher Piece 5 9. Surgical set Set Tramal Ampoule Flagyl Bottle Antibiotics- Amoxicillin Vial Antibiotics- Ampiclox Vial Antibiotics- Penicillin Vial Antibiotics- Claforan Vial Wheelchairs Piece Cannula- Pediatric Piece Dropper machine Piece Rinoraz syrup (pediatric) Bottle Antipyretic syrup (pediatric) Bottle Butadin syrup (pediatric) Bottle Actifed syrup (pediatric) Bottle 50 Relief (food aid) Objective: Families affected by the military operations in Sadr City receive emergency food aid. The Iraqi Red Crescent distributed emergency food aid to the families affected by the military operations. This distribution included 3,100 Iraqi Red Crescent food baskets and 296,750 kg of wheat flour donated by the World Food Program (WFP). The distribution reached a total of 64,015 people (9,145 families), which included 11,523 women and 42,890 children less than 12 years. Table 4 illustrates the areas of distribution in Sadr City and adjacent areas that witnessed population movement. A total of 307 volunteers participated in this distribution program. Distribution mechanism: 1. The volunteers identified the needs and priorities for food distribution through field assessment and surveys. 2. A distribution plan was developed for items available at the Iraqi Red Crescent warehouse. 3. Items to be distributed were delivered to the offices to be distributed as per assessment and needs. 4. Each of the benefiting families received a food basket or a wheat flour bag (50 kg). This is because the available quantities were not enough for the big number of affected families. 4

5 Table 4: Quantities of food aid distributed to families affected by the military operation Iraqi RC office Number of food baskets Number of wheat flour bags* Vulnerable group Number of beneficiaries Number of volunteers participating in the distribution 1. Sadr ,440 Affected families 20, Sadr Affected families 6, Al-Sadriya Displaced 1, Orfalli Affected families 5, Sab' Qusor Displaced 2, Al-Ma'amel Displaced 4, New Baghdad Displaced Za'faraniya Displaced Al-Husayniya Displaced 2, Al-Amin Displaced 2, Al-Shama'ya Affected families 5, Diyala bridge Displaced Hai Tareq Affected families 5, Al-Kre'at Displaced 1, Mal'ab Al-Shu'ab 25 0 Displaced Al-Shu'ab Displaced Total ,935 63, * Each wheat flour bag weighs 50 kg In addition to the above distribution, the Iraqi Red Crescent distributed rice to 110 families. Each family received 35 kg. Beneficiaries were displaced families in Orfalli, Al-Shama'ya and Sab' Qusor areas. See table 5 for details. Table 5: Quantities of rice distribution Area Quantity (35 kg bags) Number of beneficiaries 1. Orfalli Al-Shama'ya Sab' Qusor Total Relief (non-food) Objective: Increase the strategic emergency stock of non-food relief items at the Iraqi Red Crescent warehouse. Volunteers carried out a field assessment of the situation of the people displaced from Sadr City. The assessment revealed that non-food items are being distributed to the displaced families by the Ministry of Displacement and Migration. Accordingly, the Iraqi Red Crescent planned to increase its emergency strategic stock of relief items in order to be prepared for any future needs that may result of the current situation. Also, voluntary field teams continue to track and record changes in needs. Shelter Objective: Families displaced as a result of the current situation in Sadr City are appropriately sheltered. The Iraqi Red Crescent supports the governmental agencies in the response to the sheltering needs of the displaced people. Shelter activities include setting up tents and equipping them with food and non-food relief items. Iraqi Red Crescent voluntary field teams observe the needs for sheltering the displaced. The Red Crescent increased its preparedness by increasing its stock in its warehouses as follows: 5

6 10,000 tents 75,000 food baskets 50,000 shares of relief items Additional quantities of the above items were supplied to the Iraqi Red Crescent stores in Al-Rasafa and the offices in the affected areas as preparedness measure in case there is a larger displacement problem. Water and Sanitation Objective: Contribute to the prevention of epidemics through the provision of drinking water to displaced families sheltered in camps as well as those sheltered with host families and provision of water to the main hospitals in the area. Sadr's City already-limited water infrastructure has been damaged by the military operations. In addition, the lack of electricity and fuel in many sectors has prevented water pumping. Many families now have to carry water by hand from community reservoirs being filled irregularly by emergency water tankers. The Iraqi Red Crescent is concerned about water quality and the potential spread of communicable disease, particularly cholera. The Iraqi Red Crescent is making arrangements to rent water tankers to supply water to the areas and hospitals affected by the interrupted water supply. Logistics The Iraqi Red Crescent planned through its Headquarters and office in Al-Rasafa/Baghdad branch the transport and storage of relief aid. The warehouses used during this operation were: The Iraqi Red Crescent warehouse in Al-Qana The warehouse in New Baghdad Activities included: Assigning vehicles for the transport of relief items to supply the affected areas with the urgent needs. Preparing a storage place in Al-Rasafa (Al-Andalus court) and supplying it with the needed items as per needs assessment. Preparing the stores of the offices in Sadr City and in the adjacent areas. The vehicles used for this purpose are listed in table 6. Table 6: Vehicles used to transport relief items Vehicle name Capacity Number Dayna pickup 2 mt 1 Kia pickup 1 mt 2 Scania truck 11 mt 2 Information/communication The Iraqi Red Crescent Information department documented all relief activities through photographs. Also, the Information department coordinated with the media the coverage of activities by the different media agencies and TV and Satellite channels, including: Reuters Associated Press Iraqia Satellite channel Arabiya channel Biladi channel 6

7 Al-Masar channel Al-Forat channel Al-Sharqiya channel Dijla radio Local magazines and daily newspapers Needs The emerging needs are: 1. Food items: This need emerged as a result of closure of most markets and inability to transport the supplies of food due to the deteriorating security situation. The Iraqi Red Crescent needs 50,000 food baskets to distribute them to the affected and displaced families. 2. Water: There is a need to supply hospitals with clean water as identified by the assessments. 3. Tents: There is a need for 6,500 tents. 4. Relief items: There is a need for 75,000 shares of relief items For additional information, please contact: In Iraq: 1. Iraqi Red Crescent Organization, Secretary General- Mr. Mazin Sallum. mazinas2003@yahoo.com; mazin.sallum@iraqirc.org 2. International Relation Department manager ircs_int_dep@yahoo.com; intdep@iraqirc.org Mobile phone: ; Telephone: /24/23 In Jordan: Coordinator for Non-Governmental Organizations- Mr. Ahmad Al-Karboli: ahmad.karboli@iraqirc.org; ircs_amman_office@yahoo.com; mobile phone: Also, visit the Iraqi Red Crescent Organization web site: 7