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AFD and Expertise France to support the Medical Research and Care Centre of the University of Mosul (MRCC) to improve the general health of the population of the Nineveh Governorate

mosul medical and care centre
Serge Snrech

On February 7, the Agence française de développement (AFD, French Development Agency) and Expertise France, along with their partners, have launched a €10 million project to support the operationalization of the Medical Research and Care Centre of the University of Mosul (MRCC).

This partnership will enhance the technical and scientific collaboration between French and Iraqi medical organisations to provide a range of currently inaccessible diagnostics and healthcare services and strengthen medical training with a view to achieving national excellence. The launch of the project was attended by Ninewa Governor representative Dr. Raad Hasan Al-Abbase /Assistant Governor for Planning Affairs and the official spokesperson for Nineveh Governorate and the French Consul General to Mosul, Jean-Christophe Augé.

Funded by AFD and implemented by Expertise France in partnership with the University of Mosul and Nineveh Health Department, the project will pursue two specific objectives:

  1. The first objective is to rehabilitate the Centre’s infrastructure and equipment to enable a rapid start of diagnostics and external consultation services, meeting international standards, including laboratory activities, medical imaging, cardiology, neurophysiology, endoscopy, urology, and oncology.
  2. The second objective is to strengthen the MRCC’s institutional model for medical care, training, and research, by improving the centre’s management, reducing gender inequalities among both practitioners and patients, preparing future development phases, and fostering technical and scientific collaboration with French medical organisations.

French healthcare organisations will lend their expertise to support the project’s implementation, including:

  • French University Medical Centers, for the cooperation on medical specialties
  • the Mérieux Foundation for the support of the MRCC Laboratory;
  • the French NGO La Chaîne de l’Espoir for the rehabilitation of building and equipment;
  • the Apis Heath Consulting Group to support the Center management for strategy and policies.

A first partnership with the Nantes University Hospital (CHU de Nantes) is being established. Professionals from Nantes University Hospital will develop a scientific partnership with MRCC teams in neurophysiology and urodynamics through training programs and the sharing of medical personnel between the two institutions. First scientific exchanges will start within one month.

Following the visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Mosul in August 2021 and on the occasion of the visit of the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani to France in January 2023, both countries have reaffirmed their support for the reconstruction and the restoration of essential services in the city of Mosul, strongly impacted by presence of Daesh and the subsequent fighting. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit to France was the occasion to sign the €10 million grant to support the rehabilitation and rapid start of the MRCC.

Both countries are committed to quickly mobilising the necessary resources to start the effective implementation of this project and meet the urgent needs of the population of Nineveh Governorate, aiming to make the Centre a medical hub of excellence that meets international standards. Technical meetings will start officially as soon as next week and new services will open gradually in the following months.

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