said Brig. Gen. Jeffery Dorko, Gulf Region Division commander. “Also, working with our Government of Iraq partners, we have constructed 113 of 132 new Primary Healthcare Centers that will treat 8,000 Iraqis each day.

“The security situation has improved greatly,” said Atta. “It was very, very bad here for so long. So bad that I refused delivery of vital medical equipment until it was safe from those who would rob and steel from the hospital.”

Dr. Atta was painfully aware of the poor security situation after one large delivery of expensive diagnostic equipment that included x-ray machines and other high-end medical equipment was hijacked.

“We hope to open the hospital to inpatient care, surgeries and deliveries within two months,” said Dr. Emad Sabry, an anesthesiologist and one of Karkh’s ten senior physicians.

“The hospital still needs additional equipment – all types, from beds to incubators and most importantly the pharmaceuticals."