Giving books a second life in Iraq

By Major Laura Pacha, M.D. '98

To the Editor:

Bruins: Are there medical books on your shelf that haven't been opened in years and are collecting dust?

The UCLA Medical Alumni Association (MAA), of which I am a member, recently launched "Books without Borders," a project that will give new life and meaning to your dust-covered books. In a collaborative effort with the United States Army, the David Geffen School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the health sciences store and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the MAA is collecting used medical texts, including journals and reference materials published since 1994, and donating them to hospitals and medical schools in Iraq.

The textbooks are needed to teach courses for medical students, nurses, laboratory technicians, emergency medical responders and others in ancillary fields. In addition, this project will allow practicing Iraqi physicians to update their knowledge, review procedures and train their staff.

As the preventive medicine officer for northern Iraq, I am responsible for overseeing the health of soldiers, service members, contractors and Department of Defense civilians. My work is always interesting and rewarding. Consequently, I've become increasingly involved with local Iraqi physicians in an effort to rebuild Iraq's public medical-care system. And providing the tools for Iraqi doctors to improve their education and health-care facilities is a critical step in reconstruction.

Much of the decay in the Iraqi medical care system began under Saddam Hussein, particularly during the last decade of his regime. Iraqi doctors are working very hard to restore it, especially the medical education system at all levels and in all fields, including ancillary services. It is interesting to note that paramedics and emergency medical teams are something of a new concept in Iraq.

Iraqi doctors are consistently grateful for donations of any medical textbooks or journals. Any materials published since 1994 are considered current in Iraq. While Iraq's doctors would love to take greater advantage of all that is available on the Internet, the lack of electricity, slow access and limited availability make it difficult for most students and doctors to access Internet resources.

English is the language of medicine in Iraq. Doctors are able to read English, and courses are taught in English. Nurses would need to know some English in order to better communicate with the doctors. Books covering the basics of anatomy, physiology and pharmacology are in great demand, and multiple copies will be beneficial for the medical schools and reference libraries located in the Tikrit Teaching Hospital and Mosul University. There are several nursing and vocational schools across the north of Iraq, including Diyala and Tikrit. These institutions are also in need of materials collected through Books without Borders.

Livia Solti-Bohman, a member of the MAA board, is serving as the project liaison. If you would like to donate books, please drop them off at the UCLA Health Sciences Store at Campus Health Services (or visit their Web site). For more information on the project, contact Valerie Walker, director of the MAA, at (310) 794-4025 or vwalker@support.ucla.edu.

Maj. Laura Pacha, M.D., '98, Geffen School of Medicine, Tikrit, Iraq