The program has enabled Iraqi universities to develop modern training and research capabilities in environmental health. Three Environmental Health Education and Resource Centers (EHERCs) have been created in Iraq - one in the central region at Baghdad, another in the southern region at Basrah, and another in the northern region at Mosul. Two additional satellite centers have been created in Erbil and Babylon to extend the influence of the program and increase activities in those regions.

Original three centers Two satellite centers

The creation of the five Centers is a considerable investment in people and infrastructure. Iraqi leadership, operational coordinators and support staff has been appointed for each center. The goal is to organize and train a core group of faculty and staff at each Center that will be involved in training research techniques and providing health and preventive services. The medical faculty involved (all with a background in public or community health) will act as instructors in environmental health to train other Iraqi MDs and health personnel after the program ends. Other relevant professional experts will be included as necessary in the implementation of the various activities of the program.

The infrastructure of each Center includes modern teaching equipment, a core collection of library materials, internet-enabled computers for faculty, access to interlibrary loan via SB University and environmental lab analysis equipment. It is expected that the three EHERCs will also be an important resource to the new government, community and other organizations working on environmental problems and associated health issues. In essence, the Centers are designed to function as independent academic research and training facilities, similar to the role many academic environmental health science programs play internationally. This is accomplished by organizing workshops with Iraqi and international instructors that are open to faculty from other institutions. A mini-grant system to seed small projects among Iraqi universities, students and other agencies is available to encourage research and stimulate interest in the field.		The entrance to the Southern EHERC in Basra.

The Iraqi Center Directors and Center Coordinators (senior faculty) from the three centers visited Stony Brook University from May 6 to June 4, 2004 for a program orientation and educational workshop. The visit also provided an opportunity to meet with the SB University leadership, students and researchers, exchange information and obtain feedback on issues related to public health in Iraq. The program included an intensive and diverse program of educational activities, observing clinical and environmental health surveillance programs, touring SB University's scientific research projects, and field trips to neighboring public environmental health agencies.

Meetings were held with the visiting Iraqi faculty to discuss specifics regarding the establishment of the EHERC in each region. Issues included laboratory and space renovation, equipment purchases, library development, staffing, training of personnel, and conference planning.