US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1446

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001446 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE PLEASE REPEAT TO IO COLLECTIVE 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR EABRAMS, SMCCORMICK, STAHIR-KHELI, JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/FFP 
USAID FOR DCHA/OTI, DCHA/DG, ANE/AA 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA:WGARVELINK, BMCCONNELL, KFARNSWORTH 
USAID FOR ANE/AA:WCHAMBERLIN 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
DOHA FOR MSHIRLEY 
ANKARA FOR AMB WRPEARSON, ECON AJSIROTIC AND DART 
AMMAN FOR USAID AND DART 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, IZ, WFP 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: DART SITUATION REPORT 14 APRIL 2003 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The results of the Coalition assessment of health 
facilities in Basrah City were briefed at the Humanitarian 
Operations Center on 10 April.  The assessment found that 
most of the 82 primary health centers are functioning and 
have sufficient staff, supplies, and equipment for the 
present time.  However, concerns expressed at all the 
hospitals visited were the lack of water, lack of 
electricity, and insecurity, in that order.   The Government 
of Kuwait has made a contribution of five types of fuels to 
Iraq.  Although initial information indicates that the 
propane would be provided in bottles, a request has been 
submitted through the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society that the 
propane be provided via tankers and transported into Iraq. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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COALITION ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH FACILITIES IN BASRAH 
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2.  According to reports from Coalition Civil Affairs units, 
the Director of the Basrah Governorate health authority is 
trying to restart normal health activities.  Many staff have 
continued to work.  The governorate's medical stores are 
intact and contain an estimated three months' worth of drugs 
and supplies.  The communicable disease surveillance system, 
which was operating normally before the war, has not 
collected data from outpatient facilities since the onset of 
fighting.  An emergency surveillance system, implemented 
with the assistance of the International Committee of the 
Red Cross (ICRC), continued to collect this disease data 
from hospitals during the war.  No outbreaks have been 
discovered, although the public health authorities are on 
heightened alert to the possibility.  The Director is 
concerned about the ability to vaccinate children.  There 
are some stocks of vaccine, and the cold chain is intact, 
but additional supplies will be needed shortly. 
 
3.  Most of the 82 primary health centers in Basrah City are 
functioning and have sufficient staff, supplies, and 
equipment for the present time.  The medical school is not 
functioning because the teaching hospital was hit by 
aerial bombardment during the war.  No information about the 
status of the nursing school in Basrah was available. 
 
4.  The greatest concerns expressed by the Director and the 
health staff at all hospitals visited were the lack of 
water, lack of electricity, and insecurity, in that order. 
Coalition engineers are attempting to repair the water and 
electrical systems in hospitals and the city as a whole. 
Hospital staff and Coalition forces are guarding each 
hospital and the central medical stores to prevent looting. 
To date, only military hospitals have been looted. 
 
5.  Secondary concerns expressed by the Director and 
hospital medical staff include: payment of salaries for 
ancillary hospital staff, communications, and transport. 
Physicians were not concerned about their own salaries, but 
were worried that if nurses and ancillary staff were not 
paid soon, they would find jobs elsewhere.  Many have not 
been paid in months.  Apparently, hospitals in Basrah have 
accounts in local Iraqi banks, but do not currently have 
access to deposits in order to meet payroll.  Coalition 
authorities are discussing pay scales and may 
offer salary support to hospital staff according to a 
uniform scheme. 
 
6.  Communications are difficult because the telephone 
system is not operational in Basrah.  There has never been a 
cell phone network.  Before the war, Basrah hospitals 
provided transport for hospital employees to get 
to work and back, and this capacity has been lost because of 
looting of vehicles.  Emergency transport of patients cannot 
be done because ambulances have been looted.  Some 
ambulances have been located, but they had been completely 
stripped and cannot be used. 
 
7.  The 285-bed port hospital is intact and providing full 
services.  Staffing is adequate with 65 physicians.  The 
electricity supply is consistent, and although the 
hospital has some water, it could use more.  Coalition 
forces are providing an emergency supply of water and 
oxygen. 
 
8.  Coalition forces are supplying the 200-bed Basrah 
General Hospital with 30,000 liters of water per day.  As 
with the port hospital, Basrah General is short of oxygen, 
which the Coalition is supplying.  The central medical 
stores for the governorate are located on the grounds of 
this hospital. 
 
9.  The Naval dispensary and medical stores have been 
completely looted and are no longer functional.  Those Iraqi 
military medical authorities who have remained in Basrah are 
working with civilian health authorities to consolidate 
whatever military medical staff and equipment remain in 
Basrah in order to begin providing care. 
 
10.  The health center in Al-Adar, just north of Basrah 
City, has been completely destroyed.  No further details are 
available. 
 
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FUEL 
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11.  The Government of Kuwait has made a contribution of 
five types of petroleum products to Iraq.  The contribution 
will be made available in set quantities on a weekly or 
twice weekly basis and will be comprised of diesel for 
cooking, unleaded fuel for transport, kerosene for cooking 
and to power generators, propane for cooking, and engine 
oil. 
 
12.  Initial information, acquired through the Humanitarian 
Operations Center (HOC), indicated that the propane would be 
provided in bottles.  Given the difficulties related to the 
handling and transporting of several thousand filled 
bottles, and the fact that Iraqi gas fittings are different 
from Kuwaiti fittings, a request has been submitted through 
the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society that the propane be 
provided via tankers and transported into Iraq where it can 
be put into local gas bottles. 
 
13.  The Salvation Army says it is researching the rental of 
propane gas trucks, seeking the adapters able to fill Iraqi 
gas bottles from Kuwaiti tanker fittings, and attempting to 
determine costs.  The Salvation Army has approximately USD 1 
million of private funds to support this venture and will 
also be coordinating with the HOC on security and convoy 
support. 
 
14.  Save the Children says it is continuing to assess means 
for implementing a one-time fuel distribution in Umm Qasr 
through the public distribution system (PDS).  Save the 
Children is working with local representatives, in 
coordination with the World Food Program (WFP) and 
International Organization for Migraton (IOM) to determine 
the most appropriate means for collecting, filling, and re- 
distributing filled bottles, possibly a voucher system. 
Save the Children is also trying to determine if a system of 
prioritization can be instituted as there may not be enough 
fuel for all families, and needs will grow as more areas 
become accessible. 
 
JONES