FOB KALSU, Iraq (April 22, 2008) – Coalition forces are helping an Arab Jabour physician’s assistant care for the people of his village.
Abd al-Amir Kadhim Nasir used to provide medical care to the 65 families that live in the Abd al-Salman village from a medical clinic attached to his home. Early last year, Nasir and his family were forced to flee the village, along with most of the residents, due to threats from al-Qaida in Iraq.
Through combat operations against extremists, Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division significantly reduced the threat of AQI in the area. Now, many families have moved back to their homes, including Nasir and his family.
Nasir was given a Commander’s Emergency Relief Program microgrant to purchase medical supplies and equipment to refurbish the clinic. The grant helped Nasir rebuild the clinic’s two rooms, an examination room and a waiting room.
Nasir received the grant after Company B hosted a combined medical engagement in the Abd al-Salman village, March 19. They chose Nasir’s medical clinic as the site to conduct the CME.
Lt. Col. Hee-Choon Lee, 1-30th Inf. Regt. surgeon, said the clinic provided the best possible way to currently address the medical needs of the community, even though Nasir had not yet returned to the village. Seeing the need for a medical care provider, the Soldiers and village leader contacted Nasir, reassuring him that security had improved and he could come home.
Nasir returned and set to work with the grant to improve the clinic. Until the repairs are complete, the living room of his home functions as a waiting room. Nasir said he’s been seeing up to 20 patients a day since he moved back.
Coalition forces project the refurbished clinic to be up and running sometime in May.