April 22

BASRA (22 April)

A second visit to Iraqi prisoners of war and civilian internees is scheduled to end today with the final talk with camp authorities. Nearly 7,000 people have been registered during the two visits. The ICRC also collected 67 "safe and well" messages from the internees to family members abroad.

Last week the ICRC in Basra collected 172 Red Cross messages written by civilians for family members abroad.

During an assessment mission to Najaf, Samawa, Diwania and Nasariya (17 to 19 April), the ICRC's medical team identified wheelchairs as one of the main items needed. Otherwise no emergency needs were found except for items such as catheters, analgesics, anaesthetics and dressing material that were already in short supply before the war. The assessment team also noted that for the moment there is still an absence of stable health authorities at governorate level in the areas visited as well as a lack of management at hospital level. This complicates the implementation of projects to assist the medical sector.

Clothes donated by the Bahrain Red Crescent Society have been cleared through customs in Kuwait and over the next few days will be sent to Basra for distribution to hospital patients in the city as well as in Nasariya and Najaf.