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Pfizer, Inc. is supporting WiRED International's healthcare program in Iraq by awarding the San Francisco-based non-profit organization a first-time grant of $10,000. This gift will partially underwrite the establishment of Medical Information Centers in eleven medical schools and nine hospitals in Iraq.
For decades, under a repressive regime, Iraqi doctors labored in isolation, cut off from current medical information and from international colleagues. Now, amid the postwar rubble of sacked libraries, lacking the Internet access widely available in many parts of the world, they are struggling to transform their country's healthcare system with the help of WiRED International, Pfizer Inc. and other funders.
Phase-I of this work was funded by the U.S. Global Technology Corps at the U.S. Department of State and backed by the Iraqi Provisional Ministry of Health. Additional funding for Phase-II of this project has been provided by The Medtronic Foundation, the U.S. Global Technology Corps at the U.S. Department of State, Affinity Internet, Inc., and the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.
During the first stage of this project, which was launched in 2003, WiRED installed 25 networked computers and provided four medical e-libraries in four Baghdad-area medical schools and hospitals. The response was overwhelming and demonstrated the urgent need for these Centers. Today, more than 2,500 Iraqi physicians and medical student use the Centers for reference and medical research. The CD e-libraries help quick-start the medical educational process until the appropriate infrastructure is locally available for the Centers to add Internet access.
One of the most exciting developments in Phase-II of WiRED's Iraqi humanitarian services is the addition of WiRED's Video Visit program. The Video Visit program allows families of seriously ill children undergoing life-saving treatment in hospitals outside of Iraq to make "live" visits via Internet-linked video. The children and their families are often separated for long periods as the youngsters receive extensive medical treatments for wounds and other conditions such as heart surgery and chemotherapy; the medical treatments are provided free of charge by various international organizations. The families are too poor to accompany the children, so these youngsters face their treatments alone and at times without someone who can speak their language.
 Pfizer, Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals and many of the world's best-known consumer brands. Pfizer's innovative, value-added products improve the quality of life of people around the world and help them enjoy longer, healthier, and more productive lives. The company has three business segments: health care, animal health and consumer health care.
Layout by Brian Colombe.
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