FR WAR NEWS! WAR News at Home and Abroad You'll Hear Nowhere Else!
All the News the MSM refuses to use!
Or if they do report it, without the anti-War Agenda Spin!
Not for commercial use. For educational and discussion purposes only.
Posted on 10/09/2007 4:34:46 PM PDT by SandRat
Nasiriyah Hospital Renovation Nears Completion
A newly renovated maternity and pediatric hospital with 285 beds is expected to reduce the infant mortality rate in Dhi Qar province in Iraq.
By John Connor U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Gulf Region South District
NASIRIYAH, Iraq, Oct. 9, 2007 — Renovation work is nearly complete on the Nasiriyah Maternity and Pediatric Hospital, a facility whose re-opening has been eagerly anticipated by expectant mothers, medical professionals and many others in Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq.
"It's a beautiful facility. And it will do a lot of good once it's open again."
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Michael Lang
The largest maternity hospital in the province, the renovated facility will have 285 beds and the capacity to handle 40 deliveries a day or 1,200 a month, according to information provided by the Ministry of Health for Dhi Qar province. The hospital will serve all obstetricians and pediatricians in the province.
John Overfield, resident engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers–Gulf Region South District, said the hospital should be ready to be turned over to Iraqi authorities in a few weeks.
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Michael Lang, officer in charge of USACE’s Adder Area Office, said the hospital has been closed for renovations for nearly three years.
Lang credited Overfield with some “pretty heroic efforts” to jump-start the once-languishing project, and to encourage the Iraqi contractor and USACE’s Iraqi construction engineers to team up and get the project into gear and to meet specifications and timetables. The project took longer than expected because the initial $9.2 million contract was terminated mid-way, with renovations only 58 percent complete. Work continued under a bridge contract, until a new contract for $1.9 million was awarded.
Lang said that while the hospital was closed, another local hospital provided 15 beds for a maternity ward. Still, that fell short of handling the actual number of maternity cases, and some patients had to sleep on the floor, Lang said. The unclean conditions contributed to a high infant mortality rate, he added.
Renovations to the hospital included upgrades of electrical and mechanical systems circa 1970s, roof repairs, sanitary upgrades, replacement of four elevators and installation of an advanced technical oxygen generator. The hospital also got new fire alarm, public address, nurse call, telephone and emergency lighting systems.
“It's a beautiful facility,” said Lang. “And it will do a lot of good once it's open again.”
Col. Steve Hill, commander of USACE-Gulf Region South District, said the timing of the re-opening is perfect, with the approach of 2008, which the Iraqi government has dubbed “The Year of Services for the People.” The infant mortality rate is expected to drop once the new hospital is open.
“This project will provide much needed services and is a success for the region around Nasiriyah,” Hill said.
FR WAR NEWS!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.