1. Subsequent to meetings held at the Ahl al-Bayt (as) World Assembly, the Foundation’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Velayati, sent a letter to the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Amir-Abdollahian, regarding the temporary allocation of Iran’s former Consulate General in Karbala for the purposes of establishing and equipping a field clinic for the duration of the Arbaʿeen event.
2. Joint sessions were held with the Foundation and the Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Bigdeli, and other relevant officials to clarify responsibilities.
3. Joint sessions were held with the Foundation, Basij Command, and the Veterans Office of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4. A meeting was held with Dr. Koulivand, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and other officials of the organization to discuss cooperation in medical services, including the procurement and transportation of medicine by the Red Crescent Society to the field clinic in Karbala.
5. Regular communication was maintained with Iran’s Consulates General offices in Karbala and Najaf to eliminate potential issues.
Pursuant to several binding resolutions of the foundation, measures were taken in Karbala to establish the pilgrim clinic, including rebuilding the prefabricated clinic, collecting medicine sent by the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and preparing a place for doctors at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pilgrim station:
The prefabricated clinic was originally built in 2019 next to the former consulate of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Karbala, which is now a pilgrim station, as advised by the honorable Secretary-General of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly, Ayatollah Ramezani. However, in order to optimize and pave the sidewalks, the Karbala municipality was forced to destroy the clinic, and the panels and parts of the prefabricated building were placed in the pilgrim station. It was, therefore, essential to rebuild the clinic. Necessary materials, such as iron building material, were purchased and a more spacious construction was built by industrious benefactors. Air conditioners, sinks, and office equipment were installed to prepare the space for doctors and other clinic services.
Initially, over twenty doctors were allocated to the mission, so it was decided to establish two clinic stations, one in the central library near the Bab al-Qiblah entrance to Noble Imam Ḥusayn’s (as) shrine, which was also the temporary location of the consulate of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the other next to the main pilgrim station of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, in the end, only one clinic was established with four shifts based on the actual number of doctors and nurses who participated in the endeavor.
Some medical equipment, including three examination beds, two serum holders, an oxygen machine, etc., which had been purchased in Iran by the International Charitable Foundation of Doctors were transported to Karbala by the Basij Office of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Per discussions among the International Charitable Foundation of Doctors, the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization in Tehran, the medicine allocated to the level one clinic (about 120 types of drugs with a value exceeding one billion tomans, as well as other items) was received from the Red Crescent warehouse in Karbala and transferred for storage in Iran’s temporary consulate.
Under the supervision of a participating doctor, some of the drugs were transferred to the main clinic next to the pilgrim station in the Bab al-Qiblah area.
The medical team began treatment of pilgrims upon entering Karbala. During their activity from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM every day, approximately 4,800 patients were registered, examined, and provided with necessary medicine. The foundation’s medical team also performed limited surgery, application of dressings, and injection of serums or ampoules for about 100 patients. Because of the large number of patients during the evening shift, pilgrims familiar with medical and nursing matters were recruited for cooperation with the team.
Due to the wide variety of level one clinical drugs received from the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the services provided to visiting patients were much more comprehensive than the previous year, leading to greater patient satisfaction.
It should be noted that some clients had oral and dental issues and were thus directed to a dental clinic at an offsite location.
We hope that with the development of the pilgrim station of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the following year, a space can be allocated to a dental clinic as well.
At the end of the mission on September 20, 2022, all remaining drugs and supplies were returned to the Red Crescent warehouse in Karbala.
We hope that the services provided have pleased Almighty God.