By Gail D Hughes, Department of Preventive Medicine-Epidemiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA ; Ally Mack, Mississippi Consortium for International Development (MCID), 1225 Robinson Street, Jackson, MS 39203, USA and Kathie Stromile Golden, Department of International Programs, Mississippi Valley State University, 14000 Highway 82 W., #5098 Itta Bena, MS 38941-1400, USA
Published in BMC Public Health 2005, 5:29 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-29 On the 31st of March 2005
Background
Today Iraq suffers from severe shortages of food, medicine, clean water and adequate sanitation. Malnutrition and communicable diseases are major factors in the rising morbidity and mortality rates. However, supplies and equipment are insufficient or outmoded, and public health training is outdated. The Universities have been unable to help because under-funding and isolation from their professional colleagues has limited their effectiveness.
Methods
To revitalize public health education, we describe a partnership between a US education consortium and the University of Mosul that will be carried out in the next several years. The plan is based on « three R’s » : Recovery from the past damage due to war and neglect ; Retooling of key public health faculty to remedy the years of isolation and restriction of activity ; and Reestablishment of the University as a resource for the its constituents, for the community and for other educational institutions. In all these activities, Iraqi minorities, especially women, will participate and contribute.
Conclusion
The work to repair the public health educational infrastructure has just begun. When completed, it will represent a small but necessary step in restoring normalcy to the people of Mosul, and of Iraq.