12 May 2019 – In its efforts to support the Government of Iraq in increasing access to health care for thousands of people who have returned to Ninewa, WHO has established a third primary health care facility in Ninewa governorate to meet the life-saving health needs in Telefar district serving both Zummar and Rabeaa sub-districts.

Positioned in the one of the most remote area of Tal Marak Centre, located 60 km to the west of Mosul city, this health facility will serve a catchment population of over 150 000 people. It is offering emergency and maternity health services. Other services offered include laboratory, pharmacy, referral, and health promotion activities. The Early Warning Alert and Response Network covers this catchment area.

The health facility has been staffed and equipped by WHO to serve the most urgent and critical health needs of returnees in the area of Talafar. In addition to operational support that will be provided to the health facilities, WHO is committed to providing essential medicines, support supervision and disease surveillance and reporting. More than 1481 people have benefited from this health facility since it commenced operations in April 2019.

The health facility is being run by WHO’s implementing partner DARY and is being funded by a generous contribution from the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance. Currently, WHO remains the main agency supporting health services in areas of return, which include Sinoni, Ba’aj town, Shandokha village near Al Kasak junction and Al Wahda sector inside Talafar City, after all primary health care centres were destroyed during the crisis that ended more than 1 year ago.

Telefar district has one general hospital with limited capacity and accessibility for people in the district. WHO’s intervention aims to support returnees in Zummar and Rabeaa sub-districts with emergency and maternity services.

WHO will continue to support the Ministry of Health and directorates of health to cover critical gaps in service delivery, however, given the rapid pace of resettlement, the needs are enormous. WHO support will ensure the provision of primary health care to all areas with damaged health centres and hospitals in Ninewa.