Official opening of Czech field hospital to be delayed

Doctors and nurses from the 7th Czech field hospital are still working under poor conditions at a local clinic in the town of Basra. The Czech hospital still lacks equipment and material, despite having been scheduled to open on Tuesday. The hospital's transportation to Iraq was launched on April 17, when the first 39 health care employees left on board a Russian-made Ruslan plane. With the responsibility having been transferred to the United States, which uses its smaller Galaxy planes and follows a different flight schedule, the transport has been delayed. Up to date, only some 51 percent of the total hospital equipment, and three-quarters of just under 300 health personnel have reached Iraq. Once fully operational, the Czech field hospital will have two operating theatres and a capacity of 50 beds. Czech doctors and nurses currently treat dozens of people every day, mostly with burns, diarrhoea and neglected chronic diseases. Czech Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, who left for the Middle East on Monday to visit the Czech anti-chemical unit stationed at Camp Doha, Kuwait, will travel to Basra on Tuesday, to visit the Czech field hospital.