Work Plans
 
Building the EHERC Infrastructure
   
  Staffing:
. .
  Center Directors
 
To give the Centers the identity and the weight to function, sustain and advance the operation, high level professionals were appointed as the Center directors. Through prior communication and during a meeting in Baghdad last December, the leadership enthusiastically agreed to participate. In coordination with the SB University team, the Center Directors are responsible for the overall management of the Centers including planning, staffing, educational activities, finances and other activities. They will help introduce Environmental Health into the curriculum and will represent and manage the program within the higher education and governmental system.
   
  Coordinators (Senior Public Health faculty)
 

Each center is to have a coordinator with an advanced background in public health. Under the director, the coordinator will be responsible for the daily operation of the Centers, coordinating educational and research activities, training and all other related activities.

   
  Support staff
 

Appropriate administrative support and ancillary staff will be hired for each center.
   
  Laboratories
 
The staff will include a technician, environmental hygienist, and a supervisor for each center.
   
  University Support of Centers
 

Staff to help with activities such as library, accounting, and scientific support such as epidemiology and biostatics is to be provided as needed to complement the Center training and research activities.

   
  Capacity Building Measures:
. .
 

The tools that this program will offer include the following:

   
  Staff Training
 
An Environmental health specialty does not exist in Iraq and therefore there is currently no sufficient expertise to run such programs or to help train and prepare the Centers. Initial training of the staff will take place in the US.
   
  Environmental Laboratories
 
A full range of environmental lab equipment with diagnostic and analytical capabilities will be provided to each center. These labs are to be utilized for environmental and biological testing for research, and exposure evaluation. The labs will be available for the Centers' staff, faculty from the college, and other academic and government environmental institutions. A field vehicle has been provided to each lab for field work such as sample collection, surveillance and analysis.
   
 
Laboratory equipment provided for the Centers
   
  Environmental Library
 
Each center is to receive a specialty collection of books, periodical journals and access to data bases. The library within each center will be available to the Centers' staff, the college faculty, students, and individuals from outside institutions.
   
  Communication Tools
 
The program will facilitate and provide each center with an effective access to the internet, telephones, fax and other means for communication and learning for the Centers' staff, students, and researchers.
   
  Facilities
 

Each Center will be provided with office technology, tools, and furniture. Space has already been identified and most of the Centers have already been renovated in preparation for the arrival of the equipment and libraries.

   
 
 
The interior of the EHERC in Mosul being renovated.
   
 
Activities:
 
Current Program Year:
. .
  Outreach
 

The program will exert ongoing efforts to connect with the main beneficiaries of the program including higher education, health, environment, education and other related agencies. This will be accomplished through the formation of a program committee that will help steer the program, provide feedback to the leadership as well as provide opportunities for interventions. Other means for outreach including media, mailings and exposure through other program activities such as the Environmental Health Conference, will be utilized to educate the community of the Center's ability to a be a resource in Environmental health.

Outreach efforts include a tri-fold brochure in English and Arabic which explains the goals and objectives of the program.

   
  Mini-grants:
 
The program will announce, guide and help with the selection of Iraqi applicants from the institutions within the Centers' regions consistent with the mini-grants program plan.
   
  Training of environmental health specialists:
 

An intensive course given to Iraqi public health medical faculty was organized in order to educate Iraqi medical professionals on environmental health and science. The course was conducted by SB University faculty, the Center coordinators, and Iraqi specialists. The course took place in Amman, Jordan from February 5th to the 17th. 40 participants from different universities throughout Iraq attended.

   
  Environmental Health Conference
  The Centers, in coordination with the COP and the SB University team will plan, coordinate and implement a national conference on Environmental Health.
   
  Post-Program
 

It is anticipated that by creating the strong infrastructure, stimulating the interest and providing the tools and knowledge, these Centers will sustain themselves and will continue to advance after the term of this program. The goal of creating strong linkage between these colleges and SB University will encourage future collaboration and projects of mutual benefit.