Newsletter 2004

Issue number 10 Autumn 2004

FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN
May Al-Daftari

January 2005 marks MAIC's 10th anniversary. It is an occasion to give credit to all those wonderful people who have shared our concern for the suffering of children in Iraq and helped in saving thousands
of innocent young lives.

The joint efforts of members in London, doctors in Iraq and Jordan, together with all the generous donors and fundraisers, have made our mission possible.

MAIC's task in the past ten years has not been easy. We have had to deal with the UN Sanctions Committee's strict bureaucratic procedures and managed to transport supplies to Iraq despite treacherous road conditions, which have deteriorated further since 2003. MAIC has also faced difficulties in obtaining insurance cover as a result of the escalation of violence and the lack of security. However, despite these problems, MAIC has succeeded in delivering over £2.2m worth of medical supplies to Iraqi hospitals and has treated more than 190,000 children.

MAIC will continue planning its aid projects in accordance with the changing health conditions and the pressing needs of paediatric hospitals.

Unfortunately, health conditions have deteriorated dramatically since the 2003 war on Iraq. Further destruction was inflicted on an already weakened infrastructure, damaging vital amenities such as electricity and water supplies. The breakdown in security has led to looting and kidnappings. Violence has erupted in many cities in Iraq and the heavy-handed use of force by coalition forces has led to the killing, maiming and terrorising of thousands of civilians.

These factors combined, have further aggravated catastrophic health conditions, such as the spread of infectious and water borne diseases, increase in cancers, and birth deformities.

Another major concern is the psychological effect of war on children. Hundreds of thousands of children are in need of psychiatric help.

Many hospitals have been targeted by the conflicting parties and have become inaccessible to the sick and injured.

Amid this complex situation, the health sector needs vast funds to secure the basic needs of the Iraqi people and the urgent help of donor countries in funding and restructuring the health sector in order to contain this looming humanitarian disaster.

What MAIC can offer in humanitarian aid is relatively modest. In the following year, we will continue to provide medical supplies to paediatric hospitals. We are also sponsoring short programmes in London to train Iraqi doctors in psychiatry and surgery. The budget for MAIC's projects for 2005 is £300,000. We depend on your kind and generous support to enable us to carry out our work.

Last but not least, what Iraqi people need most is security and the respect of human life and dignity by all parties involved in this conflict.

I wish you all a happy 2005. May the New Year bring peace, security and compassion to all mankind.

REVIEW OF FUNDRAISING EVENTS
DECEMBER 2003-DECEMBER 2004

• On 24 March 2004, MAIC held its annual dinner at the Park Lane Hotel in London. The event was a great success. Generous funds totalling £114,000 were raised during the evening through donations, ticket and raffle sales, an auction and the special draw of a Smart Car. Over 180 guests attended the dinner and the Rt.
Honourable Clare Short, MP gave the keynote speech. Entertainment included an Abba Tribute Band and the renowned Iraqi singer Samir.

• On 30 October 2004, during the holy month of Ramadan, MAIC held its annual breaking of the fast dinner or "Iftar" at Noura restaurant. The "Iftar" was generously sponsored by Mr. and Mrs Ismail. Beautiful prizes were won in the raffle and delicious Iraqi sweets were sold. The Iftar was attended by 128 supporters. We
are very grateful for their support.

• MAIC supporters in the UK and abroad have organised over 42
separate fundraising events generating £76,559.

UPDATE OF MEDICAL DELIVERIES TO PAEDIATRIC HOSPITALS IN IRAQ
December 2003 - December 2004

The above items were sponsored through the generosity of the The Ousseimi Foundation and an anonymous corporate donor.

The above items were sponsored through the generosity of Mr. Richard Jones, Mrs Caroline Lees, Mr. J Haywood, Mr. Graham Hitchins, Rev’d John Stephenson, Mrs Layla Hoffman, Ms D Van Koutrik, Ms Constance Burrough, Mr & Mrs M Al-Nawab, Mr & Mrs Peter Trooboff, Mr Grant Wakefield, Coventry Three Spires Round Table, Reverend Damon Rogers and Peace Action Durham.

The above items were sponsored through the generosity of Karim Rida Said Foundation (KRSF), Ousseimi Foundation, Mr. Ali Jaidah, Mrs I Tayeb, Mrs Rosemary Said, Aspect Capital Ltd , Mr Ramzi Dalloul, H.E Sheikh Ghassan Shaker, Mr & Mrs A Ismail, Birmingham Sunday Mercury, Mr & Mrs M Askari, Mr & Mrs M Ghandour, Mrs May Al-Daftari, Mrs Latifa Kosta, Merrill Lynch Croydon Charity, Mrs Paula Traboulsi, Mrs Hassan Smadi, Iraqi Medical Aid, Dr. Ashraf Marwan, Mr. O Kodmani, Mr. Walid Juffali, Mr & Mrs Basil Abbou, Mrs Omaya Lowzi, Miss Maysa Ibrahim, Mr Joseph Murad, Rev’d J Stephenson, Mr T Shamil, Mrs Anisa Ranticy, Imperial College, Mr & Mrs D. Sambar, Mr. Ali Al-Daftari, Ruben Brothers Foundation, Mrs Doris Riachy, Mrs Taghreed Hanna, Ms Dina Nassar, Mr Martin Wyatt & Mrs Nicola Greenwood, Mr & Mrs John Dansie, Mrs L Al-Qattan, Mr & Mrs Kareem Sakka, Dr & Mrs M Al-Nawab, Mrs May Sidawi, Mr & Mrs N Auchi, Mrs Odette Atalla, Mr & Mrs B Azem, British Druze Society, Mr. Saad Naji, Mrs Maya Rasamni, Mr. Paul Ridley, Mr. ANashatt, Gwent Justice & Peace Group, Ms J Kassir, Mrs Rabab Sammakieh, Ms Kate Targett, St. Chad’s Church, Mrs T Ayoub, Mr A Damirji, Mr & Mrs S Ayoub, Dr. Wassan Alwan, Oakhampton Quakers, Per Pro United Reformed Church, Mr George Kardouche, Mrs Ada Garton, Mrs Hayat Sambar, Mrs Sylvia Marrow, Miss Lamis Baban, Rev’d & Mrs Jeremy Chadd, Lord Romsey, Mr Robert Mabro, Mrs L Khatoun, Mrs Emma Shackle, Mr.
Ardalan Farman Farmaian, Ms H Davies, Mr H Abdullatif, Dr. Victor Chua, Rock & Awe, Ms Hilary Davies, Peace Group, Dr. Hassan Haddad, Mrs Widad Mufti, Mrs Malak Samy Pacha, Mrs M Khayat, Miss Najla Al-Naqeeb, Mrs Merle D’Souza, Mr.Gordon Winter, Mr. Wright, Mr Omar Qassim, Mr. Livingstone, Miss Sophia Tierney, Mr Geoffrey Duncan, Ms Jan Durhum, Ms Rosanna Akland, Dyfi Valley Peace Group , Mrs Zinat Irvani, Ahlia School Beirut, Mrs Veronica Hanna, AMICUS MSF, Ms Sophia Cheema, Ms Siama Ahmed, Mr Mashael Isa Ali, Mr & Mrs Al-Farisi, Lady Melanie Beaumont, St.Thomas’ & St. Peters Choir, Ms Linda Lewis, R. Dhillon, McKenley-Ballan, Miss Susan Wilson, Mr. Arthur Bowen and Mrs J Kerr.


OVERVIEW OF HEALTH AND HOSPITAL CONDITIONS

• There is continued concern over security in Iraq with ongoing attacks on civilians, hostage-taking, crime and lethal exchanges between multinational forces and Iraqis. Hospitals are experiencing severe shortages of medical supplies particularly in the conflict cities of Fallujah, Ramadi and Samarrah. Tell Afar Hospital and Samarrah Central Hospital have reported harsh shortages of medicine. Fallujah Hospital, along with shortages of medical supplies is being gravely affected by sanitation problems, water and electricity outages. UNICEF has reported that one third of Iraqi primary schools lack water and sanitation with the worst affected in Dhi Qar, Salahadin and Diyala governorates.

• The Iraqi Ministry of Development and Aid has announced that 43% of Iraqis are living below the poverty line. 11% of families suffer from acute poverty. The remaining 44% are only marginally better off and considered very poor. The World Food Program found that 25% of the Iraqi population remains dependent on food rations, and 27% of children under five are chronically undernourished. A recent study carried out for UNICEF by the Fafo Institute shows that malnutrition among children aged between 6 months and five years had risen from 4% before the invasion to 7.7%. According to Carol Bellamy, UNICEF's Executive Director 'Hundreds of thousands of children are today suffering the severe effects of diarrhoea and nutrient deficiencies'.

• Most aid organisations, as a result of indiscriminate targeting, have had to pull out of the country, the most recent being Medecins Sans Frontieres. MAIC would like to express its sorrow and condolences for the tragic killing of Margaret Hassan, the director of CARE in Iraq. The delivery of medical supplies is problematic, not only due to the insecure situation on the roads, but also due to the fact that no insurance company will provide cover under the present circumstances.

• Iraq has a higher than average rate of deafness. Simple ear infections have been allowed to fester for lack of medicines in a decade of international sanctions and corruption. There are only 22 schools for the deaf in central and southern Iraq, an area home to 20 million people. 7 of the schools are in Baghdad, but all lack equipment.

• It is estimated that the use of depleted uranium (DU) in Iraq from 2003 to the present is three times the amount used in the 1991 Gulf War. There is a noticeable increase in digestive system ailments and respiratory problems. Dr. Jawad Al-Ali, a MAIC member and head the oncology at the Basra Hospital, has cited statistics that he has linked to DU: the rate of cancers has increased ten times since 1988; the death rate from cancers has increased 19 times since 1988; congenital malformations in newborns have increased 7 times since 1990; new and strange phenomena of cancers are appearing such as cluster cancers in families and double and triple cancers among individuals.

• There has been an increase in infectious disease with reports of malaria in the south as well as reports of the black death. The Iraqi Ministry of Health stated that infectious diseases have risen by 40% since the invasion, largely due to pollution of the water supply. The Ministry has confirmed 113 cases of typhoid fever in one area surrounding Baghdad. The area around the Diala Bridge was the first place where typhoid was reported; the water in the area had become contaminated with human waste. Hepatitis has risen, with the Ministry reporting 500 cases in Sadr City in Baghdad alone. A total of 19,824 cases of typhoid have been reported in the whole of Iraq since October 2003. The Ministry has expressed concerns about the spread of cholera.

• A recent report by a public health expert from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was published in the British medical journal the Lancet. It cited the rise in violent deaths after the invasion of Iraq; most were attributed to coalition forces, and the victims most reportedly killed were women and children, particularly from coalition air
strikes. The report states that the risk of death from violence since the invasion is 58 times higher than prior to the war. A conservative assumption from the data gathered is that there have been in excess of 100,000 deaths since the 2003 invasion.

GROWING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR MAIC

MAIC wishes to thank all foundations, organisations, companies, fundraisers and individuals, who have so generously donated their time and resources to MAIC. The following is a list of organisers who have held fundraising events since December 2003.

• Reverend John Stephenson of St. Chad’s Church in East Herrington, Sunderland, for continuing to actively raise funds for MAIC.

• British Druze Society for funds raised from a cruise along the Thames River.

• Reverend Damon Rogers for funds sent from a collection made through carol singers.

• Peace Action Durham for their kind donation through fundraising activities.

• Ms Debbie Van Koutrick for sending donations to MAIC in place of receiving Christmas presents.

• Mr Graham Hitchins for proceeds from a Christmas carol concert.

• Mrs Caroline Lees for donating a percentage of the profits from her art exhibition.

• Ms Ada Garton for proceeds sent from an ‘Art & Print’ sale.

• Peace Group for their collection raised to commemorate the largest peace demonstration in the UK.

• Ms Hilary Davies for the donation made through a collection after a peace concert.

• Mr Martin Wyatt & Ms Nicola Greenwood for donations from several concerts held over the past year.

• Mrs Veronica Hanna for her donation made in memory of Mrs Geraldine Wicht.

• Gwent Peace and Justice Group for donations from Christmas fundraising activities.

• Mrs Omaya Lowzi for hosting and donating proceeds from a jewellery exhibition held at her home.

• Mr Geoffrey Duncan for funds raised through a communion offering.

• AMICUS MSF for donations received in memory of Mr John Cheverton.

• Oakhampton Quakers for funds raised through the sale of plants.

• Imperial College for donations raised at a charity dinner for MAIC kindly organised through Maya Al-Memar.

• Per Pro United Reformed Church for a collection from the March Good Cause Appeal and the kind efforts of Mr Martin Wyatt.

• Ms Jan Durham for a collection raised through a meeting.

• Mr J S Rawson for a collection made by Dyfi Valley Peace Group.

• Mrs J Kerr for funds raised through selling plants.

• Merrill Lynch Croydon Charity for funds raised through a bank karaoke night.

• Sophia Tierney for forgoing her 8th Birthday gifts and donating to MAIC instead.

• Mrs Linda Lewis’ friends’ donations for her losing weight.

• Mr Steve Jones’ sponsorship collection from running the London Marathon.

• Mr Paul Ridley’s sponsorship collection for running a marathon; the proceeds will go toward the purchase of two wheelchairs.

• Imperial College Union Clubs & Societies for funds raised for MAIC at their School of Medicine Graduate Summer Ball. The event was kindly organised by Maya Al-Memar.

• Miss Kate Targett for funds raised through the sale of ‘P-Shirts’ (Peace t-shirts).

• Mr & Mrs Jihad Tabbara for raising funds through advising friends to donate to MAIC instead of sending gifts for their newborn baby daughter, Daria.

• The Birmingham Sunday Mercury for funds raised through their ‘Give a Child Health’ fund.

• Ms J Kassir for funds raised through holding a party for friends.

• Ms Nicola Greenwood for funds raised through a ‘Hafla,’ party, event organised by herself.

• Medact Tyneside raised funds through a Peace concert held in Newcastle.
Omnia Bread for sending proceeds raised through the sales of bread.

• Mrs Gilmurray for raising funds through a collection at her parish church

• International Social Service ISS (UK) for sending funds raised through their ‘Child Separated by War Appeal’.

• Neath Respect coalition for raising funds from a Poetry Evening.

• Mr. Andre Bulkai from funds raised through sponsorship of a charity swim.

• Mr Samer Sidawi for generously forgoing gifts on his 27th Birthday and donating the funds instead to MAIC.

• The students of Etone Community School & College in Nuneaton for funds raised at nonuniform days.

• Mr & Mrs Bassam Zako for raising funds by advising friends to donate to MAIC instead of sending gifts for their newborn son

TAX RELIEF

Giving through the Self-Assessment Returns
Medical Aid for Iraqi Children (MAIC) is listed on the Inland Revenue website for donations. If you use the Self-Assessment returns system and wish to donate to MAIC, please use MAIC's following code number EAR14QG.

GIFT AID

ANNOUNCEMENT

MAIC is pleased to announce that it has been accepted to enter the BUPA Great North Run. Details of the run will be published on MAIC’s website soon. The project coordinator is Miss Mais Najib 0044 7980 865 306

IN THE PIPELINE

• MAIC faces a busy and challenging year. We continue to raise funds for our next medical consignments of urgently needed antibiotics, cancer drugs, surgical items, as well as wheelchairs. The estimated value is £250,000. MAIC has also begun a new aid programme training Iraqi doctors in the UK following various requests from paediatric doctors in Iraq. We are hoping to offer short training programmes in 2005 for three Iraqi doctors in the fields of child surgery and psychiatry. The estimated
cost of these programmes is £20,000.

• MAIC needs to raise funds to repair equipment and provide maintenance to equipment previously donated by MAIC to hospitals. The estimated sum needed to finance this is £18,185.

• The total value of funds needed to finance the above projects for the year 2005 is approximately £300,000.


10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

MAIC is happy to announce that the year 2005 will mark 10 years of its operation as a charity. MAIC's collective humanitarian effort has been instrumental in helping and saving the lives of sick children in Iraq. MAIC would like to thank all its supporters without whom this anniversary could not be realised. MAIC also hopes that with all your continued support we can continue our efforts to ease and heal the plight of the Iraqi children. To mark its anniversary, MAIC will hold a series of events throughout the year.

• On 3 May 2005 MAIC will be holding a conference on health conditions in Iraq at the Royal Geographic Society in London.

• In the first half of 2005 a press conference will be held.

• MAIC will be holding its Gala Dinner in November, date to be announced.

MAIC MEMBERS

Board of Governors
Mrs Mazin Al-Daftari - Trustee & Chairman
Mr Hani Dajani - Trustee
Mrs H.R. Farman-Farmaian
Mr Hassan Haddad M.D.
Mrs Aboudi Kosta
Mrs Ali Khan
Mr Robert Mabro CBE - Trustee
Mr Sabah Mahmoud - Trustee & Treasurer
Mrs Charles Riachy - Trustee
Ms Danah Saadawi
Mrs David Sambar
Mrs Fatima Sheikh Khazaal - Trustee
Mr Bassam Zako
Mrs May Zako

Honorary Members
Mrs Wajih Al-Kaylani
Mrs Mashal Al-Nawab
Lady Beaumont
Prince Sixte de Bourbon-Parme
Prince de Chimay
Mr Nezar Haba M.D.
Mrs Imad Habba
Mrs Abdullah Isamil
Mr Bruce Mathalone M.D.
Mr Abdul Karim Moudaris
Dr Raghdah Shukri M.D.
Mrs Hassan Smadi
Mrs Nezhat Tayeb
Lady Tooley
Mr Graham Walker M.D.

Medical Team in Iraq
Mr Jawad Khadem Al-Ali M.D.
Dr Ihsan Al-Bahrani M.D.
Mr Khalid Al-Obaydi M.D.
Dr Adel Al-Rawi M.D.
Dr Omar Al-Yaqubi M.D.
Dr Hussam Charmougli M.D.
Dr Hussain Malik M.D.

Jordanian Liaison Committee
Dr Zafer Al-Kayyali M.D.
Mrs Mounir Attalah
Dr Salwan Baban M.D.
Dr Junaid Mahmoud M.D.
Dr Layla Sharaf
Mrs Hasan Shukri

Support Committee
Mrs Rula Al-Chorbachi
Ms Maya Al-Memar
Ms Maya Askari
Ms Maysa Ibrahim
Ms Sabia Mayassi
Ms Suha Najjar
Mrs Sara Tayeb Khalifa