Through 4 mobile clinics and supporting 2 existing primary health care facilities, together with the European Union, INTERSOS assisted over 17,000 people
While five years passed by since the Government of Iraq announced in November 2017 that military operations had successfully resulted in their retaking of all Iraqi territory from Islamic State group (ISg), of the 6.1 million people displaced between 2014 and 2017, about 19% remain internally displaced in 2022. Along with those who have returned to Iraq, the displacement-affected population continues to face significant humanitarian needs due to lack of essential public services, destroyed or damaged housing, and other challenges such as the social tensions and insecurity.
In this context, thanks to the support of the European Union, INTERSOS has provided 17,826 persons affected by the crisis, with primary health care and protection services in remote areas of Ninewa and Salahaddin Governorates, through 4 mobile clinics and supporting 2 existing primary health care facilities. One of the areas in which we operate is Samarra district, the destination for many IDPs during the conflict. As of today, 15,318 IDPs are still present in the area, with no prospective of return while 23,394 returnees in the same district have severe needs in terms of livelihood and basic services. In Samarra, INTERSOS interventions aims to reduce health and protection access barriers of the targeted populations by providing protection services throughout gender-based violence (GBV) awareness, case management and cash for protection.
Uroba’s story
Our protection team provides GBV survivors or persons with specific needs with case management and, if needed, supports them with cash assistance to mitigate their protection needs. When the case requires a complementary intervention, the team refers the person to either INTERSOS health team, or other stakeholder in the area. This is what happened to Uroba, a 49-year-old woman, displaced in Samarra since December 2014 we were able to help thanks to the funds of European Union. Her husband died last year, and his family deprived her of all her husband’s inheritance and belongings (including car and house), forcing her to live in her sister’s house. INTERSOS met her in October 2021, in Al Tresha: here the team noticed that she was under stress due to the prolonged displacement and the consequences of her husband’s deaths and had health problems. Particularly, she had a foot edema, caused by problems in her circulatory system, requiring medical attention. The INTERSOS health team provided her with medical consultation and medicines to treat the edema. Moreover, she benefited from 4 psychosocial support sessions with an INTERSOS PSS worker, which helped her find a positive coping mechanism.
She also received cash assistance (300 000 IQD, around 200 USD) which helped to pay the required fees to receive her late husband’s pension. This cash component turned out to be crucial, as the communities who experienced prolonged displacement have a weak financial buffer, already undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic that stifled economic activity (with unemployment estimated to have increased 10% during the pandemic), particularly affecting IDPs and returnees who mostly rely on informal and day labor as primary source of income. After her last session with an INTERSOS PSS worker, Uroba reported feeling better in her daily life. Her foot edema was treated, and she was able to retrieve her husband’s pension, which allows her to have a source of income. She also says to feel mentally more prone to envision a better future for her and her children. As she shared with INTERSOS’ team, she hopes for a continuation of the support of INTERSOS in the area as many families need further support.