The general director of Shekhan hospital accuses Nineveh local administration of not sending medical supplies to the hospital, while 200 persons daily visit them to receive treatments. The assistant governor of Nineveh states that the curfew has halted the tranportation of supplies to the district.
Doctor Naghm Nawzad said, “it has been more than a month since Nineveh health directorate has not sent us medications and other medical supplies. We have asked for the reason several times. They say it is because of the curfew or Baghdad does not adequately send Nineveh’s share of medical supplies.
She also stated that even before the enforcement of the curfew, they had only received ten percent of Shekan’s allocation of medical supplies.
Shekan is a district in Ninveh province, but its administration is under the Kurdistan Regional Government. Its population is 150 thousand and three Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps are based in the district, which collectively house 50 thousand IDPs
“We officially belong to the Ninveh health directorate, and monthly they should send us our share,” Nawzad added.
She also explained that there are under significant pressure and have been forced to ask Duhok province for medical supplies. Duhok province has helped them based on their capacity.
Before the enforcement of the curfew started in mid-March, 800 to a thousand people visited the hospital. However, that figure has dropped to 200 patients due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Shekhan Hospital has been opened for six years and has major medical departments.
Raf’at Smo, the administrative assistant to Nineveh governor, said, “we have contacted Nineveh health directorate on this problem. They say the main problem is the curfew because Shekhan- Mosul road is closed.”
He also said, “Shekhan health office should send a letter to the security institutions of the Kurdistan Region so that they would open the road for the transportation of medical supplies.”
