Iraqi Child Appeal

From:

Dr. Mohammed A. Salman
Ophthalmic surgeon
Baghdad - Iraq
Tel.4153334-fax.7196559

To the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness: (I.A.P.B.)
To my colleagues ,the doctors of all specialties:
To all the humanitarian organizations:
To all honest people all over the world, who have hearts touched by the humanitarian issues:
To those who have hearts that never hardens:

Good morning
Good evening

Pretty baby 4 months old BANIN is a small infant, her parents brought her to my private clinic, she didn’t open her eyes since her birthday, but tears comes out when she cries.
On clinical inspection, the lids of both eyes were shortened, thin and caved in. Eyelashes are present, palpebral fissures are reduced in their vertical and horizontal diameters.
The lacrimal glands were present as demonstrated by tears when she cries. Examination of the sockets was so difficult, but when opened by lid retractors, the surprise was that both sockets were shallow, reduced in anteroposterior diameter, with a small cul-de-sac and completely lined by conjunctiva with absence of both eyeballs (Bilateral Anophthalmos).

No associated malformations were detected. Asking the mother about the medical history during pregnancy, she denied any illness or drug intake, but she told me that her husband was a soldier in the Iraqi tank power troops which was exposed to the U.S army attack by anti-tank missile, as well as a cruise missile explosion took place near her house short time before pregnancy, probability of exposure to radiation by Depleted Uranium which proved to be used by U.S. Army against Iraq during the years 1991-till now.
No treatment could be suggested, except a prosthesis, which should be employed during the first year of life for cosmetic purposes, and to avoid entropion and deficiency of the cul-de-sac which become a problem requiring multiple surgical interventions.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

All the doctors know well that such a case is extremely rare and reported cases of unilateral anophthalmos mentioned in some of the books were few in the world.
As an ophthalmic surgeon, since 1974, I never saw such a case before. What is surprising in this subject that since 1999 till now, I saw 3 similar cases.
Asking my colleagues, Iraqi ophthalmologists, they told me that each of them saw 1-4 cases of such anomalies during this period.
It is one of thousands of medical problems that Iraqi people suffer from since 1991-till now.

What is the cause in your opinion?

I didn’t find any explanation, except the radiation effect of Depleted Uranium, and I think I am certainly right.
Please help BANIN and other Iraqi children who are the victims of the unjust barbarian continuing American aggression.
Please let the voice of right and justice be louder than the voice of injustice power.

Prevent the injustice power from being a black stigma in the modern history of humanity.
Please help in any way you know to bring this injustice to a standstill.
We suffer twice, once like the rest of our countrymen, and once as clinicians, denied access to the rapidly moving wheel in the art and science of healing, because of this unjust scientific embargo.
With Banin's compliment and her PLEA for help!!!
I conclude my message to you all.



Dr. Mohammed A. Salman
Ophthalmic Surgeon
Baghdad-IRAQ
Tel.4153334-Fax.7196559
11-May-2000