By Haidar Al-Hasan, Najaf Welfare Rights Centre for People with Disabilities

The Najaf Welfare Rights Centre for People with Disabilities, set up by the Shakiry Charity for Social Solidarity which is part of the Iraqi Charities Forum, has donated 15 specialist beds to Al Zahra Hospital’s thalassaemia ward in Najaf.

Dr. Talib Al-Madani, director of the ward, expressed his thanks and appreciation for the charitable initiative. He also identified the thalassaemia ward’s following urgent needs:

1 – Children are dying because patients cannot afford to pay for travel between their homes and the hospital for treatment.

While Mr Haidar Al-Hasan, head of the Najaf Welfare Rights Centre for People with Disabilities, was visiting the thalassaemia Ward with Mr Mahmoud Faihan, they saw four such families. This prompted Mr Al-Hasan to donate 100,000 Dinars (25,000 Dinars per family) on the spot on behalf of the Centre, enough to cover travel costs for one week. There are around 20 families in need of treatment each week.

2 – Purchase 150 pumps at a cost of $150 each. The ward desperately needs these if it is to save children’s lives.

3 – Purchase 500 blood filters at a cost of $17 each.

4 – Financial and logistical assistance to send a team of doctors from the ward to be trained overseas.

5 – Recruit at least 35 new doctors or nurses for the ward.

Thanks to Mr Faihan, a deal has also been struck with the Al-Ghari pharmaceutical supplies company to purchase medication at a 30-50% discount for patients, after a meeting with Dr. Ali Abd Al-Razzaq from the College of Dentistry who mediated between the two parties.