Baghdad Mosquito Lists Iraqi Newspaper Article on Health Ministry corruption charges

There is a daily email newsletter issued from a military contractor in Baghdad containing "Open Source" Intelligence, including translated articles appearing in the Iraqi press. The newsletter is called the Baghdad Mosquito, and has many articles on different subjects. Below is one excerpt regarding corruption in the Health Ministry. The wording is rough because it is a translation.

I visited the Health Ministry and their Inspector General (IG) several times in 2005, and he was replaced by a Shia during the last elections, and the IG mentioned below could be an even later appointee. The Health Ministry already had problems with the separate agency that provided drugs, called "Kumadia" (my memory and spelling may be incorrect) which was known to be corrupt and providing inferior drugs even then. Also, there were never enough drugs, so wealthier Iraqi's would buy their own drugs on the blackmarket (probably provided by Kumadia) and bring them to the hospital when relatives were being treated.

But, the US kept throwing funds at the hospitals through IRMO and USAID and took no action to cut off spending while corruption grew.

Below the Health Ministry article is a March 13 Mosquito article on "The word on the street" which gives a picture of current conditions in Iraq.

I do not have a direct source for the Mosquito, so can't tell you how to get it directly.
vj

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From the Baghdad Mosquito - Mar 15, 2008 - translated

Health Ministry Advisor Denies Accusations Of Financial And Administrative Corruption (Security/Crime) [•Azzaman Newspaper] (15 MAR)
Summary: Health Ministry Advisor – Issam Namuq denied the accusations made (against him) by Musa Faraj - the former Chief of Iraq’s Integrity Board. These accusations claimed that there is (widespread incidents of) financial and administrative corruption occurring in the (Health) Ministry.
Yesterday, Namuq told this newspaper, “The press reports about the building of ten hospitals are incorrect; currently, we have not ‘actually signed’ any contracts for building any hospitals. So, where does this (alleged) financial corruption come from?

(On a related subject) Musa Faraj has told Iraq’s Radio Sawa, “Official (laboratory) tests have shown that the albumin supplies (blood protein products) in Babil Province are contaminated with the AIDS virus. I challenge any Health Ministry official to publicize the results of the tests which were performed by the National Medical Laboratory.”
Faraj added, “The Health Ministry has a huge ‘file’ of corruption. The officials, including the Health Ministry’s Inspector General, are responsible for thefts from Health Ministry warehouses.”
He continued, “70% of the Health Ministry’s medicines are imported by private sector companies. These companies are importing medicines of very poor medical quality.”
Radio Sawa broadcasted, “At the end of last year, a Babil Provincial Council Member had revealed that the (Province’s supplies of) albumin were contaminated by the AIDS virus. At that time, the Health Ministry collected all of the albumin (took it off shelves and out of circulation); but, the Ministry denied the claims (that it was contaminated).”

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What’s The Word On The Streets Of Baghdad?

On 13 March 2008, the Mosquito Staff sat down with some knowledgeable Iraqis and inquired about the latest rumors and current atmospherics circulating the streets of Baghdad. In Iraq, rumors travel through the streets quickly and are accepted by many, educated and uneducated alike, to be the absolute truth. In fact, during Saddam’s reign, he had a department in his intelligence service dedicated to spreading various rumors throughout Iraqi society. The word on the street should not be ignored as simple hearsay, even though some of it is obviously false. It helps shape Iraqi opinions and perceptions. The following information is what came out of the meeting:
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The Word

1. The Egyptian newspaper, Al Ahram has published that sources close to Muqtada Al Sadr have stated that Al Sadr is in a hospital in Tehran in a coma. This came a week after rumors that someone had attempted to assassinate Al Sadr by poisoning his food.

2. Kuwaiti Al Qabas Newspaper states that the MNF is planning to convert the remnants of the Mahdi Army into Shiite Awakening Councils.

3. Al Khaleej Newspaper has stated that Washington and Ankara agreed to the Turks speeding up their withdrawal from northern Iraq. In return, Turkey will assist the US in attacking Iran and the US will limit Massoud Barzani’s influence in Kurdistan due to his opposition the proposed oil and gas law.

4. Some Iraqis claim that Muqtada Al Sadr and Uday Hussein were friends in the years after Muqtada’s father was assassinated.

5. Some claim that 16 Shiite political blocs boycotted Nejad’s visit.

6. A train with 21 oil tanker cars was seen heading toward Mosul on March 9th.

7. A ‘US Intelligence HQ’ (formerly the Technical Institute) in Najaf was hit by mortars.

8. A previously unknown Iraqi Shiite group calling itself “The Husseini Scream” (Al Sarkha Al Husseiniya) has threatened to strike US interests in Iraq and US vessels docked at Umm Qasr Port if the US does not withdraw its ships that are near the coast of Lebanon. They also warn against the forming of Awakening Councils in southern Iraq.

9. Regular Iraqis believe that it is difficult for Muqtada Al Sadr to control all the members of Mahdi Army, even with the freeze. Additionally, there is no plan to dismantle the Mahdi Army, which is prepared to ‘strike’ if threatened or attacked.

10. There are no Awakening forces in the rural areas of Salah Ad Din near Samarra. This has allowed Al Qaida to rebuild itself there especially after the recent US prisoner releases. The Sunni community in general believes that this is also part of the mainly Shiite Iranian puppet government’s plan to keep the US busy in the Sunni areas, such as Salah Ad Din, Diyala, and Mosul/Ninawa so that the Iranian puppets can continue to solidify southern Iraq for Iran’s benefit.

11. Last Thursday, an eyewitness at Hababiya Fuel Station said the Mahdi Army confiscated a full fuel tanker truck and drove it away.

12. Residents in Sadr City still refuse to allow the presence of any US military vehicles or ‘they will destroy it immediately.’

13. All IP, especially the IP Commandos, are Badr Corps members.

14. Since SICI and Badr control the MOI, they have installed Badr/Iranian officers at all Jensiya and Passport offices. These officers then provide Quds forces and Hezbollah members with any Iraqi identification they need. The UAE has information on this subject.

15. If the US or Israel ever struck Al Ridha Shrine in Mashad while hitting the Iranian nuclear program, it would start World War III.

16. Iraqis want to know how any bank survives in Iraq.

17. In an open area near Bab Al Sharji, an eyewitness stated he saw some ‘electrical appliance repairmen’ flying a meter long R/C helicopter that they had installed a small camera on. The witness added that the helicopter’s motor was not very loud.

18. After the US seized a weapons cache in the Urr area of Baghdad, militants there launched a rocket attack on the IZ.

19. People in the Urr area are talking about the Mahdi Army building a new type of IED using a donkey pulled cart. There is an Iranian assisting in the construction of this IED which will use ‘oxygen bottles’ to create a huge explosion.

20. Iraq has recently opened its third ‘Consulate’ in Iran in the city of Ahwaz in Khuzestan Province. The other Iraqi Consulates in Iran are in Mashad and in Kermanshah.


Atmospherics

1. What Is The Electricity/Water Status Around Baghdad?

The group reported that electricity service improved again this week. The Hay Urr area’s 3 x 3 program has been nonexistent for months but did improve this week to around eight hours of broken service per day. The Mansour area’s service hours recently increased to between 4 and 6 hours of service per day. The Jamiia/Khadra area’s service has been three to four hours per day in western Baghdad. The Mustansiriya area skyrocketed to around 18 hours of service per day this week.

The group reported that water service was [Baghdad] normal this week. The Zayuna area reports their water still has a large amount of sediment which is visible after filling a water bottle from the tap and letting it sit a few minutes The water Baghdadis do receive they DO NOT drink for fear of illness or poisoning. However, many Iraqis have no choice but to drink this water.

2. Is There Still A Fuel Crisis In Baghdad?

The group answered that again, the fuel situation for vehicles was stable this week. However, the group stated that Iraqis are already thinking about fuel supplies and prices for generators as temps increase. Apparently, so are the militias, see Rumor # 11 above.

The group added again that due to the warm temperatures this week the need for kerosene is over until next fall/winter.

The group reported that propane in Baghdad was stable this week. The black market price has recently increased to between 20,000 to 25,000 ID this week.

This week the group reported that there is still some corruption involved in supply and sale of diesel fuel.

3. What Is Going On With The Security Situation In Iraq?

The group stated that Iraq is now witnessing the post Nejad visit portion of Iran’s plan to dominate Iraq by forcing the US out of Iraq politically as they know they cannot achieve this goal militarily.

The group stated that many Iraqis believe that this pan includes fanning the flames in Kirkuk; assisting and inciting Al Qaida in Sunni areas which do not have Awakening forces; continuation of the political and security confusion in southern Iraq to include arming Shiite militias with more sophisticated weaponry, especially as the Coalition decreases its presence in the south; and by continuing its current domination of the Iraqi government which supplies Iran with Iraqi oil and other resources.

The group added that Iran is a very patient enemy and knows that it may still take a few years to politically push the US out of Iraq but they also intend on making it very painful for the US to remain at all.