A survivor of a field hospital

Sayed Kamal, Born in 1963, Isfahan, Iran

Fatemeh-Zahra, a field hospital located near the southern front of the Iran-Iraq war, was a place to provide medical cares to war casualties and local people but it was attacked by airplanes and artilleries of Iraqi army several times and the medical staff had got used to this condition.

Sayed Kamal, as a lab technician replaced the previous group whom were wounded during an air strike and what was unusual for him was that he had to learn how to use protective equipment against chemical attacks and undergo training to be prepared for a possible gas attack.

In March 1986, the bad thing happened and the field hospital was targeted by chemical bombs containing Sulfur Mustard. The gas attack, resulted in serious exposure of doctors, nurses, medical staff as well as the patients and wounded soldiers, Seyed Kamal was also among those who were exposed and sustained injuries. He knew that this was a violation of humanitarian law about protection of hospitals during the armed conflicts.

The hospital was contaminated and became dysfunctional so Sayed Kamal was unable to return to work by the time he was partially recovered from initial injuries.

Despite suffering from long term health effects due to his exposure to Mustard Gas, he continued his life by participating in social and educational activities. Due to lung problem, he had to move to other part of the country with more humid climate.. Currently he is working with an NGO to advocate for chemical weapons victims.