Stryker Brigade News

The CA Soldiers loaded a Stryker with approximately a half-dozen boxes of medical magazines, reference books and two plastic bags of Beanie Babies.

“Our commander had been to this hospital before” Stuart said. “When he was here, the doctors asked him for any type of medical literature that he might be able to send the hospital staff.”

The Khansa Maternity and Pediatric Hospital is a 100-bed outpatient hospital catering to child-birthing and gynecology. The medical staff there cares for approximately 2600 patients monthly.

Stuart explained that once the 401st was made aware of the need for medical literature, a request was sent state-side to family and friends to contact such organizations as doctors and local libraries asking for donations, especially quarterly medical journals that Iraqi doctors have subscribed to, but have had difficulty receiving.

After delivering the magazines, Stuart and Willits met briefly with the hospital’s director to discuss if the 401st could assist in getting medical equipment and supplies for the hospitals day-to-day operations.

The discussion centered largely on minor surgical and sanitary items that the Khansa hospital was in short supply of.

“We will see what we can do to get you these supplies” Stuart said. “We can’t guarantee that we can get them because of our budget, but we can also see about more donations.”

After the meeting Stuart, the Soldiers were given a tour of the maternity wards.

From the plastic bags the 401st brought with them came a moment of joy in the form of a Beanie Baby stuffed animal for each young child who was staying at the hospital.

(via DVIDS)