DAMMAM, 28 August 2003 — The Saudi Field Hospital in Iraq has earned considerable respect in Baghdad. From 800 to 1,000 Iraqi patients receive medical treatment there every day. Most of the patients come from Baghdad, Karbala, Najaf, Kut, Mosul and Kirkuk.
In April Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd ordered the deployment of a SR300 million humanitarian mission to Iraq. In addition to the field hospital, the mission included six fully-equipped ambulances, the medical evacuation of seriously ill patients to the Kingdom and distribution of 400 tons of food and medical supplies.
According to a report published in the latest issue of Saudi Aramco World, in its first two operating weeks, the Saudi mission distributed 25,000 food packages. Food and medical supplies are being constantly supplied to Iraq for distribution.
The main focus of the mission, however, is the field hospital. It includes 32 doctors, including eight surgeons, and over 200 medical support staff.
According to Saudi Aramco World, there are only three such projects currently operating in Iraq. The Jordanian government runs a similar field hospital in Falluja and the UAE is rehabilitating an entire Baghdad hospital in Baghdad.
Most of the doctors in the Saudi field hospital are from the Armed Forces Hospital in Riyadh.
