by Krista Glen, WiRED volunteer editor and writer
On Friday, July 21, 2007, WiRED's telemedicine program in Iraq was the topic on one of America's
most-watched news programs, CNN's Anderson Cooper 360.
The story focused on the significant impact that WiRED's low-budget, medical education
programs are having in Iraq, in comparison to some large projects with budgets reaching $150
million that have "essentially fallen apart," as described by Cooper.
WiRED remained resilient throughout the war, spending relatively little, and continues to
empower Iraqi doctors to save lives by giving them access to the latest medical information by way of
its Medical Information Centers and telemedicine program providing real-time lectures, seminars and patient
consultations.
Praise for WiRED's programs came from doctors, both Iraqi and American, as well as from California
Congressman Tom Lantos, who is Chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee. Lantos said of the program, "It is
one of the most cost-effective, probably the most cost-effective and intelligent way of helping the Iraqi
people."
Karen Hughes, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, was quoted by CNN, in a
speech, saying, "I believe that this type of medical diplomacy, medical outreach is one of the most effective
ways that we can reach out to people across our world."
Iraqi nursing instructor Bedia An-Najib said the program "was very, very beneficial and was very
good for us." Dr. Craig Sable, from the Children's National Medical Center, reaffirmed the importance of the
program, saying, "I think it was much more helpful than even we thought."
WiRED has been providing medical information in Iraq since May, 2003. Initially, the organization supplied
electronic medical libraries in 39 medical schools and teaching hospitals across the country. Early in 2006,
it launched a telemedicine program that enabled live, interactive sessions between leading medical
educators in the United States and doctors and medical students in Iraq.
WiRED partners with Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. for programs in pediatrics;
the University of California, San Francisco for adult medicine; San Francisco State University for
nursing training. Grand Rounds (patient review sessions) have been provided by Massachusetts General
Hospital and California Pacific Medical Center.
WiRED's program in the next year will focus on women's and children's health. Statistics reveal that breast
cancer and other cancers and heart ailments are on the rise for women in Iraq. Further, according
to a May, 2007 report by Save the Children, "Some 122,000 Iraqi children died in 2005 before reaching their fifth
birthday. More than half of these deaths were among newborn babies in the first month of life . . . Iraq has made the
least progress (of any country) in reducing child deaths since 1990."
In addition to funding provided by the U.S. Department of State, WiRED has received support for work in Iraq
from the Medtronic Foundation, Pfizer, and the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
Layout by Brian Colombe.
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