Issue No 5
Newsletter 1999

FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN
It is extremely encouraging to look back on our Charity's achievements during the past five years.

Since its foundation in 1995, Medical Aid for Iraqi Children MAIC has been able to deliver over £920,000.00 worth of medical supplies to hospitals in Iraq. More than 50% of the supplies were delivered in 1999. This significant increase in the last 12 months demonstrates the Charity's increasing aid to paediatric hospitals, making treatment more available to larger numbers of children. We have been successful in providing paediatric hospitals with their specific needs. Our most recent project was to equip Al-Mansour Paediatric Hospital in Baghdad with a much-needed intensive care unit.

MAIC's greatest challenge is to deliver life saving medicines and equipment in time to save the lives of the vulnerable, sick children in Iraqi hospitals. The continuation of the UN sanctions imposed on Iraq since 1991 has had a staggering effect on the health of children. International health and aid organisations, as well as UN agencies' figures, estimate that around 6000 children are dying of disease every month. A total of 570,000 children have died from malnutrition and disease between 1990-1996. Since then, this figure is estimated to have reached 1 million.

Malnutrition is one of the worst effects of sanctions. It is estimated that 1 million children have been affected. The incidence of marasmus and rickets, two major malnutritional diseases, has risen drastically among children. Cancers affecting children have also sharply increased, especially leukaemia which now accounts for 70% of all childhood cancers. Unfortunately, when help is needed most, we are faced with unreasonable delays in acquiring the Export License. From our Charity's experience, the minimum time required to process the Export License to Iraq is still three months.

I hope the new Millennium will bring the Iraqi children and all other children in the world a brighter future and healthier conditions. As a Charity, we hope to continue and expand our humanitarian work, with no restrictions on sending medical and nutritional supplies to Iraq. We also hope to bring about a collective effort by international aid agencies to look into the health problems faced by Iraqi children, especially those that cause long term damage to their well-being.

As part of our continuing effort to establish better communication and provide greater access to information about the Charity's work, MAIC is in the process of establishing a website. We hope to be online by the end of the year.

My sincerest thanks and appreciation to all our supporters whose generous donations have helped us continue and expand our humanitarian work in Iraq.

May Al-Daftari

Review of Fundraising Events
December 1998-December 1999

- On 27 April 1998, Mrs Eskandar Maleki kindly hosted a Ladies' Luncheon at her home in Roehampton in aid of MAIC. The successful event was attended by sixty generous supporters and raised £5,870.00. ·

-On 27 May 1999, MAIC held its Annual Dinner at The Dorchester Hotel in London. The evening was attended by 150 supporters. Mr Hamid Al-Saadi and the Al-Chalghi Al-Baghdadi Group generously donated their performance, which ensured the event's success. The guest speaker was Mr. George Galloway, MP for Glasgow, Kelvin, Senior Vice Chairman of the Labour Party's Foreign Affairs Committee and Organiser of the Emergency Committee on Iraq. Mr.Galloway gave a talk highlighting the increased incidence of cancer and birth deformities since the end of the Gulf War. Over £118,000.00 was raised during this successful evening, largely funding a 3-bed paediatric intensive care unit ICU at the Al-Mansour Paediatric Teaching Hospital in Baghdad.

-On 25 October 1999, MAIC held a Bazaar/Tea function at the Hyatt Carlton Tower Hotel in London. The afternoon was attended by 110 supporters whose generosity ensured that the sum of £16,498.00 was raised on the day. The various stalls participating in the bazaar very kindly donated part of their sales' proceeds to MAIC.

Update of Medical Deliveries to Paediatric
Hospitals in Iraq
December 1998 - December 1999

During 1999, MAIC has directly delivered £497,152.00 worth of medicines and medical supplies to various Iraqi paediatric hospitals. This amount exceeds the sum total of all MAIC's past deliveries for the period 1995-98. This encouraging development is testimony to MAIC's firm establishment as one of a handful of charities working successfully in Iraq since 1995. It also indicates that MAIC's growing track record in identifying and meeting some of the acute medical needs of Iraqi children is appealing to a growing donor base.

The cost of this consignment was covered through generous donations from The Department for International Development DFID (£190,000.00), The Karim Rida Said Foundation KRSF (£15,946.00) and Mrs K. Van De Wetering (£10,125.00 donated through her Foundation). The balance was met by MAIC through fundraising.

Dr. Ramzi Dalloul generously donated the radiometer. The cost of the reagents and transport was met by MAIC through fundraising.

Dr. Heather Heatly kindly donated the medical journals. Otherwise, the cost of this consignment was fully met by funds raised by MAIC during fundraising events as well as through donations received.

This ICU was entirely sponsored by the following generous donors: Mr. Abdullah Ismail, The Ousseimi Foundation (£24,380.00), The Karim Rida Said Foundation (£22,045.00), Mr. Ali Jaidah, Mr. Abdul-Aziz Shakashier, Mr. Nadhmi Auchi, Mrs May Al-Daftari, Mr. Zuhair Achour, Mrs Ahlam Akram, Mr. Ali Al-Daftari, Miss May Al-Jumaili and Mr. Bassam Zako.

Consider This...

· A UNICEF Infant Nutritional Status Survey in Iraq (November 1998), revealed that around one third of children under five are chronically malnourished. UNICEF also states that almost the whole child population was affected by some degree of malnutrition.
· Low birth weight babies rose from 4% in 1990 to around 25% of registered births in 1997, due mainly to maternal malnutrition (UN Report - January 1999).
· Before 1991, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 90% of the population had access to an abundant supply of potable water. Currently, access to potable water is estimated to be half of the 1990 level in urban areas and only 33% in rural areas.
· In 1989, the school enrolment ratio stood at 75% (slightly above the average for all developing countries at 70%). The latest figures show that school enrolment has declined to 53%, with 83% of schools needing substantial repairs (UNESCO report 1999).
· UNICEF speaks of a whole generation of Iraqis who are growing up disconnected from the rest of the world; children between 5 and 15 years are considered to be the most affected (UN Report - January 1999).

CONTRIBUTION SLIP
Registered Charity No. 1044222

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