VZCZCXRO0296
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3553 2991216
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261216Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4046
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0056

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MCAP MOPS PINS SOCI AS IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI ARMY - WITH COALITION HELP - CONDUCTS 
FIRST-EVER MEDCAP IN MUTHANNA 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This is a PRT Muthanna message. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY.  The Iraqi Army - with Coalition help - on 
October 21 treated over 1,000 men, women, and children in its 
first-ever medical civic action program in the southern Iraqi 
province of Muthanna.  The local brigade commander has 
publicly taken ownership of the concept, and plans a campaign 
throughout the entire province.  We will work closely with 
our Iraqi counterparts to help them institutionalize the 
program, which will solidify support for the Iraqi army and 
state among the citizens of Muthanna.  END SUMMARY. 
 
"OUR ARMY HELPING US" 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Under the slogan "Our Army Helping Us," the Iraqi 
Army on October 21 conducted its first-ever medical civic 
action program (MEDCAP) in the province of Muthanna.  This 
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) sponsored initiative 
served the population of Albu Ewhaid, a poor rural village in 
the north center of the province.  Helped by doctors and 
medics from the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne 
(1/82 BCT) and the Australian Overwatch Battle Group, the 2nd 
Brigade of the Iraqi Army's 10th Division treated over 1,000 
men, women, and children, many of whom were seeing a doctor 
for the first time.  Through PRT efforts, a Ministry of 
Health mobile clinic and ambulance were on hand to treat 
longer-term care patients. 
 
"BRINGING SMILES TO THE FACES OF CHILDREN" 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (U) Deputy Governor Riyadh Majeed al-Dhu'anyi accompanied 
2nd Brigade Commander Brigadier General Salam Jabar in a tour 
of the MEDCAP, which took place in the village's elementary 
school.  Speaking with the 1/82 BCT's brigade surgeon as he 
was treating patients, Deputy Governor Riyadh expressed his 
effusive thanks for Coalition support.  "You are bringing 
smiles to the faces of our children," Riyadh said. 
 
¶5.  (U) The Deputy Governor reiterated his thanks for U.S. 
and Australian support in later comments to local television 
and print journalists.  Brigadier General Salam expressed his 
appreciation for coalition support as well.  He took 
ownership of the MEDCAP concept, telling the press that "the 
Iraqi Army has two missions: reconstruction and security; 
this medical mission is part of our reconstruction efforts to 
help the Iraqi people."  Salam added that he hoped to begin a 
"campaign" of MEDCAPs throughout the province. 
 
¶6.  (U) An Australian Nursing Officer noted that majority of 
the cases he saw consisted of women in a state of chronic 
dehydration.  Hard labor in the fields coupled with the lack 
of clean drinking water meant that many women only consumed 
two liters of water per day, far less than what they needed 
in the hot climate of southern Iraq. 
 
MENTORING PRODUCES RESULTS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) The Overwatch battle group had provided its Iraqi 
counterparts training on perimeter security measures prior to 
the event.  The Iraqi soldiers performed professionally. 
"They're real champs," one Australian officer commented, "I 
couldn't have asked for anything more." 
 
¶8.  (U) 1/82 BCT and Australian doctors and medics mentored 
the Iraqi medical staff throughout the day on screening and 
treating the stream of patients.  One Iraqi medic commented 
that he had learned from a 1/82 BCT doctor how to better 
prescribe medicine to meet patient needs.  Iraqi officers 
uniformly expressed gratitude for the medicine that the 
1/82nd and PRT had provided to support their effort. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The October 21 MEDCAP was a resounding success.  In 
addition to treating a community in need, we persuaded the 
local command of the Iraqi Army to conduct and take ownership 
of a MEDCAP.  Our goal now is to help them institutionalQe 
this important civil-military operation, which will solidify 
support for the Iraqi Army and state throughout the province. 
 From the population sample treated, clearly the need for 
clean water is paramount.  We are already focusing quick 
response funds on this area. 
BUTENIS