The ASB supported the establishment of four rehabilitated and rebuilt public healthcare units in three districts to provide comprehensive health services to the population. These units are located in Al-Karabilah and Rabiah Al Awal in Qaim, as well as in the primary health centres of Al Nafatah, Al Abou Assaf and Al Doulab in Al Baghdadi district. In addition to restoring the physical infrastructure, the ASB also placed great emphasis on the provision of standardised and high-quality health services by the medical staff at the primary healthcare centres.

To this end, the ASB provided training for all staff, based on the updated primary healthcare centre guidelines of the ASB. In order to consolidate the acquired knowledge and its transfer into practice as well, regular refresher training and on-the-job training courses were offered. Special training was also provided for professionals dealing with sexual and reproductive health services. These training courses cover topics such as prenatal care, follow-up care, high-risk pregnancies, family planning and breastfeeding advice, as well as the use of ultrasound equipment and the completion of health records.

The project aimed to provide comprehensive health services for women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities in rural areas, in addition to the treatment of acute and chronic cases. In order to enable better tracking of the health of young patients, the use of a child health card has been introduced as standard. In addition, nutrition and growth screenings were implemented in healthcare units and schools.

Home visits were made to elderly patients and to people with disabilities to provide them with access to healthcare. The health status was determined and, if necessary, transport or a referral to a healthcare facility was organised. Particular attention was paid to the sexual and reproductive health of pregnant women in order to identify high-risk pregnancies, increase the use of preventive and follow-up examinations during pregnancy and ensure healthy behaviour during and after pregnancy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASB set up a PCR test centre and a COVID-19 isolation centre in Qaim. These facilities are the only ones in the West Anbar region to offer specialised services for COVID-19. As a result, PCR tests could be carried out and evaluated in the region in a timely manner without having to be sent to the remote Ramadi. All staff working at the four primary health centres were trained in measures for Covid prevention and education. In addition, the four primary health centres have been certified by the government to carry out vaccinations against COVID-19.

Thanks to the support of the ASB, the supported vocational training institute for healthcare in Ramadi offers vocational training for nurses and other paramedical staff (e.g. physiotherapists, occupational therapists or speech therapists). The ASB has both supported the educational institute’s infrastructure and trained teaching staff on the updated curriculum and modern teaching methods. As a result, the institute now has the knowledge, infrastructure, and equipment needed to ensure high-quality education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition to online teaching and digital teaching methods was also supported in order to continue the training of the 150 trainees.

Over the course of the project, a total of 150 graduates from various project regions were accompanied and supported with the aim of being included in the staff pool of the Directorate of Agriculture in Anbar. All trainees have by now successfully completed their training and some of them are already working in the health centres supported by the ASB.

By working with three civil society organisations, the project mobilised the communities and strengthened their ability to help themselves. The long-term goal was for communities to take autonomous initiatives to close the gaps created by the weak government presence in remote districts and cities. The selection of local civil society organisations focused mainly on involving community-level organisations and strengthening civil society, in particular with regard to women.

Therefore, with the support of the ASB, community-based organisations were established in each of the three districts, led by women leaders and community members, and committed to women’s health and well-being. These organisations received training and support in becoming formal and registered small, local non-governmental organisations. All three groups were officially registered by the NGO Directorate in Baghdad and have the skills to advocate for the needs of their communities.

Civil society organisations worked with community volunteers to carry out health campaigns and raise awareness among communities. They played an important role in data collection, home visits, care for the elderly and people with disabilities, and in day-to-day health education in community meetings and schools, especially in the area of sexual and reproductive health.