Support to Primary Healthcare Centers to enhance access to lifesaving healthcare services for internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and host pop. in Salahaldin and Kirkuk, Iraq. Relief International's (RI's) proposed health programming will be implemented in close coordination with the MOH/DOH in each respective governorate, as well as WHO, UNFPA and other health cluster partners. In line with the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), RI will focus its interventions on provision of primary healthcare services through the existing DoH health facilities to meet the rapidly growing needs in Kirkuk and Salahaldin. The project will look at expanding coverage and deepening RI's humanitarian response in areas with gaps in healthcare services, building on RI's past and current programming experience. This critical and life-saving health response will be carried out through quick impact support to meet immediate needs in primary health centers (PHCs) in recently retaken areas where limited other health actors exist and where there are no other operational health facilities (HF). RI will support an integrated basic health care package of PHC services with emergency referrals, disease surveillance and reproductive and mental health services.

RI is proposing to support one PHC in Hawija, Kirkuk and one PHC in Baiji, Salahaldin, targeting locations where recovery is needed most and providing urgent medical assistance to 24,400 vulnerable and under-served IDPs and returnees. The proposed project is designed to build off RI's current intervention in Iraq, taking into account the complex context with unstable security situation, ensuring no overlap of activities and providing lifesaving and urgent health care services to complement RI's existing operations for highly vulnerable populations. In Salahaldin, RI is proposing to expand the capacity of an existing, but non functional PHC in Baiji to better respond in the location currently receiving massive numbers of IDPs, returnees and a vulnerable host community. RI has maintained a presence in Baiji since February, 2017, and is currently supporting a Mobile Medical Team through ECHO funding this will end in March 2018 and as RI are the only health actor in Baiji the plan is to use IHF funding to transition support to a comprehensive PHC approach.

In Hawija, RI proposes to support Al Hilwa PHC, which RI is currently supporting with ECHO funding, but support will end in March 2018. RI is currently providing consultations, treatment of acute and chronic diseases, screening for malnutrition and vaccines for children under five, reproductive healthcare services, EWARN, and health education sessions through community health workers, but assessments show a movement towards comprehensive PHC services in needed in Hawija additionally, this is in line with the health cluster and GOI strategy for healthcare service provision. 

Due to the vulnerability of the populations in these two locations, RI sees a need to build on the services the currently providing in these two locations and develop a more comprehensive system of PHC health services offered to vulnerable beneficiaries.   This approach will ensure access to essential, life-saving medicines, consumables, and equipment, including for reproductive health, for vulnerable populations. RI will also provide technical capacity and support to the medical teams in order to provide high-quality care according to international standards. By including a reproductive health component, this intervention takes into account the unique needs of women and girls. RI will ensure that this intervention is not only responsive to the unique health needs of women and girls, but also takes into account the concerns and priorities of boys and men, which may vary, and will work to ensure that the PHCs are accessible and welcoming to persons with disabilities.

RI will coordination with DOH Salahaldin and DOH Kirkuk throughout the life of the project in order to prepare a successful handover to DOH at the end of the project.