Los Angeles, CA - International Medical Corps (IMC) is stepping up its response to the more than 1,300 families who have fled the northern Iraq city of Mosul. IMC is distributing essential food, hygiene, and household items to Christian families who continue to leave the western and central quarters of Mosul in fear, many without the opportunity to gather any personal belongings. Responding within 24 hours of the onset of the crisis, International Medical Corps has reached more than 70% of those displaced.
Most people are finding their way into the neighboring districts of Tel Kef and Hamdanya, where they are seeking refuge with local families, many of whom are displaced themselves.
International Medical Corps field teams are maintaining a continued presence on the ground, ensuring that those recently displaced have basic supplies such as clothing, blankets and food. Supplies are valued at approximately $400 per family.
As part of this process, International Medical Corps has carried out extensive assessments of local services and provided additional support to communities as they struggle to absorb the influx of people. These efforts are being done in partnership with the Iraq Ministry of Displacement and Migration (MoDM), USAID/OFDA, UNICEF and UNHCR.
"IMC is well known in this area having worked in northern Iraq for more than five years, and is trusted to always respond quickly to the needs of the community," said Basim Bello, Mayor of Tel Kef. "In situations like this it is important that aid agencies assist communities not just during the crisis but throughout the recovery phase as well,"
In addition to providing emergency supplies, International Medical Corps places special emphasis on the needs of children, women and other vulnerable groups. IMC's efforts are focused on providing children with safe places to play and interim educational opportunities. Thousands of children have been displaced from their homes and schools, depriving them of any sense of normalcy. IMC has been working with partners MoDM, USAID/OFDA, UNICEF, and UNHCR, as well as local authorities and communities, to establish psychosocial and education programs to meet these growing needs.
"Following the initial shock and upheaval of forced displacement, families struggle to adjust as children can't attend school and community support mechanisms are destroyed. These factors can have long term implications for displaced families," says Agron Ferati, Country Director for International Medical Corps in Iraq. "IMC will continue to support these families to ensure they receive the necessary protection and access to services to mitigate the effects of displacement."
Since its founding in 1984, International Medical Corps has worked to relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disasters, and disease through relief and development programs that save lives and build human and institutional capacity. IMC's program in Iraq was established in 2003 to address health, humanitarian assistance, community development, and service delivery needs. It works to build the capacity of the national ministries, and is one of few organizations to have operated continuously in-country since that time.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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