A new emergency department opened to serve 3 million people in Duhok

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – One of the biggest emergency departments in the Kurdistan region opened in the city of Duhok that will serve 3 million people including hundred of thousands of internally displaced persons and refugees.

Duhok governor along with the German consul general in the Kurdistan region and the director of GIZ participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Emergency Department of Azadi Teaching Hospital in Duhok, on August 17.

Ali Tatar, Duhok governor who was representing KRG prime minister Masrour Barzani in the opening ceremony, stated that the new Emergency Department of Azadi Teaching Hospital will improve the provision of healthcare for 2.5 to 3 million people in the Kurdistan region.

In addition to offering high-quality health care to citizens of Duhok, displaced persons and refugees and a good number of people of Nineveh plains will benefit from this department as well, the governor explained.

Germany’s deputy Consul General Sven Mossler, in his opening speech, said that the opening of Azadi emergency department is a milestone in Germany’s engagement in the Kurdistan region and in cooperation with our Kurdish friends and partners.

This project bears witness to the long-standing commitment of Germany to the republic of Iraq and the Kurdistan region. He added.

The construction of the Azadi Emergency Department in Duhok is funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Kurdistan regional government and the directorate of health in Duhok.

It is one of three complex construction projects implemented by GIZ in Duhok in partnership with the local government of Duhok.

The project aims at improving the healthcare delivery system for IDPs, refugees, and host communities in the Kurdistan Region, the budget for the project was 51.454.800 €, of this 28.631.803 € for construction.

Previously, at the Azadi Teaching Hospital, 300,000 patients were treated. Now, with a bed capacity of up to 130 beds in this new emergency department, a total of approximately 500,000 patients can be treated annually.

The overall duration of the project was from 2016 to 2022, the foundation stone was laid by former German Minister for International Cooperation Gerd Müller along with former Duhok Governor Farhad Atrushi.

According to GIZ, the new emergency department can operate both as part of the existing Azadi Teaching Hospital and as a stand-alone facility.

GIZ explained that the project was constructed for the local population by adhering to very high-quality standards, both in terms of construction and technical equipment, it is ensured that the hospital represents sustainable progress for both the population and the staff in the health care system.

The new Azadi Emergency Department has a bed capacity of up to 130 beds and provides four operation theatres.

One of which enables the hospital management to expand the range of surgical procedures in this theatre.

In the future, among other things, neurosurgical interventions, tissue removal in the context of transplantations, and interventions requiring a large operating field can be performed in this operating theatre.

Furthermore, the emergency department has designated rooms for trauma treatment, as well as rooms for ultrasound diagnostics and a very wide range of imaging diagnostics with two digital x-ray machines.

The department also offers a laboratory for routine clinical chemistry diagnostics and a central sterile supply department.

The supply department can supply the existing Azadi Teaching Hospital with sterile supplies. If the sterilization unit is used in a 24-hour cycle, the capacities are even sufficient to cover sterile supplies for other hospitals as well.

In Duhok health directorate’s plans, a 3-shift system will be introduced in the newly opened emergency department. In the nursing sector, up to 45 doctors and up to 227 nurses will be employed. For the laboratory and X-ray diagnostics, 30 technical employees are planned. Another 507 skilled workers will be employed for cleaning, administration, building services, ambulance vehicles, and security.

The new emergency department will create new jobs and thus income opportunities. The relatively high proportion of female doctors and nurses makes it possible in particular for women to participate in the improvement of living and working conditions.

Since 2014 Germany has been active in supporting the local government in Duhok, especially in the health sector, offering comprehensive training for health sector staff.

Duhok has been sheltering a big number of IDPs and refugees for several years, making it continuously in need of expanding its services.