Medicines We Brought to Iraq
At the Saddam Central Hospital for Children in Baghdad, we were taken through the emergency ward and a hallway full of tiny babies being held by their mothers. Most of the children were in critical condition, wasting, severely dehydrated.
Dr. Monaf Shakir, MD, told us, "Especially in the last seven days, there has been an increased incidence of gastroenteritis in babies and children, most of the cases being amoebic dysentery."
When he showed us one small child, he said, "He is very dehydrated, marasmic, also the patient is receiving antibiotics, but there is no Metronidazole, which is the drug of choice for his condition."
We knew then that the Metronidazole, the antibiotics, IV
solution, and other medicines we brought would save the lives of thousands of children and
babies. In 1996, there were 543,000 cases of amoebic dysentery in Iraq. --Gloria La Riva,
ISC medicine coordinator
Here is what we brought:
632,000 tablets of Metronidazole
400,000 tablets of Penicillin
500,000 tablets of Sulfatrim
100,000 tablets of Amoxicillin
3,000 bottles of Amoxicillin susp.
300,000 tablets of Aspirin
750,000 tablets of Ibuprofen
50,000 tablets of Acetaminophen
175,000 tablets of Diphenhydramine
100,000 tablets of Purosemide
75,000 tablets of Micronese
50,000 tablets of Mebendazole
50,000 tablets Chloroquine Phosphate
50,000 tablets of Prednisone
30,000 tablets of Digoxin
5,000 vials of Ampicillin
5,000 vials of Gentamycin
5,000 bags of IV solution
1,000 bags of dialysis solution
5,000 vials Lypholyte vials
10,000 vials of Potassium Chloride inj.
10,000 tablets of Imodium
1,000 tubes of Amcinonide cream
1,000 Adenosine injectables
1,000 Albuterol Inhalers
1,000 bottles of Albuterol syrup
1,000 vials of Albuterol solution
5,000 IV catheters
5,000 syringes and needles
3,000 butterfly infusion sets
5,000 packages of sutures
Surgical blades and knives
Plus tons of donated medicine
and medical supplies.
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