Background
Almost every day IRAC's offices receive one or more emergency medical appeals. Most cases can't be treated in Iraq. IRAC discussed the issue with our good friends at LFT and they welcomed the idea of supporting the real emergency cases, especially because IRAC-Iraq can send patients who need treatment outside Iraq to its sister organization IRAC-Iran. The patients will receive guidance and translation services under IRAC-Iran's patient guidance program. This arrangement has saved Iraqi patients a lot of time and money because they do not fall prey to profiteering translators and doctors.
In order to enable IRAC to serve the emergency cases immediately, LFT has transferred US$ 10,000 in advance, US$ 5,000.00 for Sadat patients and the same amount to Non-Sadat patients.
Beneficiaries
This report describes the first patient served from this fund. In sha Allah many more will follow.
The patient's name is Najim Obaid, from Al Karmah, a town near Basra. He is suffering from a form of leukaemia that responds very well to treatment. However, it turned out that the medication he needs is not available in Iraq. IRAC enquired from its office in Tehran and found out that the drug is available in Iran, but is very expensive. The patient and his family were not able to afford it. IRAC therefore decided to purchase the medication from the emergency fund.
Implementation
After receiving a scanned copy of the medical prescription via e-mail, IRAC-Iran arranged for a prescription from an Iranian doctor, as Iranian pharmacies do not fill prescriptions issued abroad. IRAC's office in Tehran then purchased the medication. A further difficulty was that this medication needs to be kept at a temperature of between 2 and 8 centigrade at all times. Therefore, IRAC-Iran sent it in a special container filled with ice by plane to Ahwaz, where an IRAC staff member picked it up at the airport. IRAC had coordinated for one of the patient's relatives to travel to Ahwaz to pick up the container with the medication, which reached the patient's house in good condition and adequately cooled. Needless to say that keeping the medication cool during the overland travel from Ahwaz to Basrah in the hot summer weather was quite challenging. Ice had to be found and added to the container on several occasions. But all trouble was quickly forgotten when we received pictures of the patient happily holding the plastic container with the life-saving medication.
Expenditure
|
Item |
No. of Units |
Total Cost Iranian Rial |
Total Cost US$ |
|
Cladribine 10 mg |
4 injections |
11,734,600 |
1,283.35 |
|
Air freight cost |
1 package |
41,000 |
4.50 |
|
Miscellaneous expenses |
|
111,400 |
12.15 |
|
Total |
|
11,890,000 |
1,300.00 |
The exchange rate was 9,145 Iranian Rial for each US$1.
Signed: Management, IRAC, Iraq
Islamic Humanitarian Service:
Comfort Aid International:
Ijaza:
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Thank you, as always for all your generosity and support without which our work would not be possible.
Yours sincerely,
Amirali G. Karim
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
http://www.ladyfatemahtrust.org/
Tel: +44 (0) 7798 76 10 20
Tel +44 (0) 1494 762 063, Email info@ladyfatemahtrust.org, Fax +44 (0) 1494 762 286,
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