Primary health care

Between 1991 and August 2003 AMAR built up a health care network (five clinics in camps and two larger polyclinics outside camps and in easy reach of refugee squatter areas in cities), supported by laboratories and ambulances in Iran. There has been primary health care (including up to 10,000 consultations a months), the provision of limited specialist services (x-ray, dentistry, gynaecology, midwifery and ultrasound), disease control and collection of medical statistics for epidemiological research. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime AMAR has continued to provide services to those Iraqis who remain in Iran, but has scaled back its activities in some camps as the refugees have started returing to Iraq.

A large AMAR public health training programme called “Women Health Volunteers” has trained women in basic public health and hygiene for over 500 Iraqi, Afghan and Iranian women, who then disseminate their knowledge among the communities in camps and in other settlements. AMAR will be providing this training programme for vulnerable Iraqi women in Iraq.

Sanitation and clean water supply

AMAR has been working constantly to improve clean water supply and camp sanitation. AMAR is currently implementing a long-term master plan designed to provide clean water to more than 50,000 refugees in and out of camps in Iran. Over the last five years, AMAR has set up five chlorinators and four complete water supply systems. By the end of 2001 all refugees had access to clean water.

Between 1999 and 2000 AMAR delivered six garbage lorries and installed 360 garbage containers in refugee camps.

In 2000, AMAR designed and built a pilot wastewater treatment plant in one camp and is working on several similar projects.

250 sanitary latrines were built in refugee houses in 1999 and 2000.

AMAR is drawing on local expertise and knowledge in Iraq to provide similar services.


Supplementary Food and Clothing

The nutritional situation of refugees is an ongoing concern. Between 1999 and 2002 AMAR has distributed 1,160 tonnes of food and 10,000 pieces of clothing. Since 1991, more than 5,600 tonnes of food and nearly 100,000 clothes have been distributed to displaced people in southern Iraq and refugees in Iran.


Primary Education

AMAR has operated over the years a large-scale primary and secondary education scheme in Arabic based on the Iraqi curriculum, for 3,000 refugee children, staffed by 122 primary and secondary school teachers. Activities include reprinting 10,000 schoolbooks every year, distributing stationery and conducting regular examinations. AMAR has built over ten new classrooms in two camps since 1999. AMAR intends to continue the provision of education services albeit on a reduced scale as long as Iraqi children remain in Iran.

Drawing on AMAR’s track record we will continue to provide education services inside Iraq.