the act of healing
the act of healing Project Bismutha offers a medical lifeline By Weam Namou Amanda Alkatib and Jennifer Shamoun at the Project Bismutha office in Sterling Heights. It was known from the Babylonian Code and the Stature of Hammurabi (2285-2242 BC) that medical procedures and fees would be “regulated” and that Hammurabi was available to “heal all injuries.” Project Bismutha, which translates to “the act of healing” in Aramaic, attempts to do just that here in Michigan for the group of people whose ancestors’ healthcare were once protected under Hammurabi’s law. “We knew we needed a program that would help people who are without insurance,” said Dr. Nahid Elyas, one of the co-founders of Project Bismutha. “Luckily, we were able to find Project Chessed, which has a similar program for the Jewish community. We connected with them and they helped us with the infrastructure of our program.” Project Bismutha was founded by the Chaldean American Association of Health Professionals (CAAHP) and is in partnership with the Chaldean Community Foundation. Lab work is provided by St. John Providence Health System. “We have a great community,” said Elyas. “All of them, from businesspeople to non-profit organizations to the church, have in one way or another supported this program.” Initially, Project Bismutha opened an office in Farmington Hills in July 2010, but because the majority of the people who signed up were residents from the eastside, particularly Sterling Heights, the organization moved in March to the 15 Mile and Ryan area, inside the Chaldean Community Foundation office. “We’re now closest to the people we need to serve,” said Amanda Alkatib, Project Bismutha’s office manager. Iraqi immigrants who can’t find employment and Iraqi newcomers who have lost their eight months of benefits and can’t find alternative healthcare are usually the ones needing these services. “Nine out of ten who we screen qualify for this program,” said Alkatib. Alkatib, who works closely with Jennifer Shamoun, a registered nurse and a member of CAAHP, said Project Bismutha is open to adult members of the Metro Detroit Iraqi Christian community who meet the following criteria: • 19 years and older • Meet certain financial guidelines • Medically uninsured • Not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid • Legal residents of the United States “Many of the people who come to us do not read or write English,” said Shamoun. “So we accommodate them.” “They don’t have to do anything but call us and then bring in the required documents,” said Alkatib. “We take it from there.” That means Alkatib and Shamoun do all the paperwork and whatever else is associated with finding out, on the spot, whether the person is qualified for the program or not. Once qualified, patients are connected with one of the more than 30 primary physician volunteers who are committed to the program. Services include primary and preventative health care; maintenance of chronic health challenges such as diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure; access to low-cost medication; and lab services. “I was surprised to find that such a program exists in America,” said Diaa Makani, a patient of Elyas who has been in the United States for three years. “Prior to finding them, my wife and I were suffering because we didn’t have insurance and couldn’t go see a doctor.” Aside from accommodating their “grateful” clients, Alkatib and Shamoun also try to make the volunteer physician’s job easy. “We do the paperwork and set up the appointments,” said Alkatib. “All the physician has to do is see the patient.” To date, Project Bismutha has exceeded its initial objective of having 150 patients by the end of the year; it already has close to 200. “We’re making a lot of progress,” said Akram Namou, CPA, cofounder and business consultant for the project. “But while I’m pleased with where we’re at to a certain extent, I’m not completely satisfied. I feel we could have had faster progress and more involvement from the community. The success of this project depends on donations.” Project Bismutha founders hope to serve more people and eventually bring on specialists and be able to perform procedures at a minimal cost. “We need more physicians for the program and we need more funding,” said Elyas. Since the program is not federally funded due to the fact that it caters to one specific community, it relies solely on private contributions. Elyas said that although every part of the community has helped make the program a success and that most of the doctors have been receptive, much more needs to be done. “You have to meet the demand with equal resources,” said Elyas. “By working collectively with medical professionals and institutions, we are negotiating the possibility of having x-rays, cat scans and certain procedures available to our patients.” Despite previous challenges and some current restrictions, Elyas is optimistic because he and his colleagues believe in what they are doing and they believe in the community. Furthermore, he said, they are “consistent in this belief.” Alkatib and Shamoun encourage people to continue spreading the word, knowing there are many out there who have not heard of Project Bismutha. “We are the best-kept secret but we do not want to be a secret,” said Alkatib. “We want people learn about us and to come benefit from our services.” For more information, call Project Bismutha at (586) 722-7278. 42 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2011
DECEMBER 2011 CHALDEAN NEWS 43
