Spartan Profiles: Jim Haveman

IRAQ’S TOP HEALTH OFFICIAL

            In addition to President McPherson, who served as Iraq’s financial czar,   the White House tapped another Spartan to rebuild Iraq—Jim Haveman, M.S. ’68, head of the Haveman Group, Grand Rapids, and former director of the Michigan Depts. of Community Health, Public Health and Mental Health.  Haveman now serves as Senior Advisor from the Coalition Provisional Authority to Iraq’s Ministry of Health. 

            Having managed huge bureaucracies and traveled to hot spots around the globe for Christian Relief Ministries, Jim is uniquely qualified for the job.  “It’s a joy to be here,” says Jim from his quarters in Baghdad.  “This was one of the most corrupt ministries under Saddam (Hussein).  He took 90 percent of health care expenditures over the past 10 years out of health care, so last year Iraq spent only $16 million on health care for 23 million people.  He destroyed what was once the premier health care system in the Middle East.  For instance, they did kidney transplants here in 1964.  Today Iraq’s infant death rate is 108 out of 1,000, and for children under five it’s 131 out of 1,000.  Saddam wanted to show the world, ‘Look what sanctions are doing to us,’ but it was a shell game.  At the same time he built more than 100 palaces and took billions out.” 

            Jim now oversees 240 hospitals, 1,200 primary care clinics and all public health centers, which employ 100,000, mostly women.  On August 19, when a terrorist bomb destroyed the U.N. headquarters and damaged a nearby hospital for victims of spinal injuries, Jim was seen on television helping with the evacuation.  “There has been terrorism but they will not let that get in the way of their wish for freedom and democracy,” he predicts.  “The Iraqis are very smart.  It’s a privilege to be here to help them fulfill their vision.” 

            Jim has a team of 36 civilians and military.  He has offices at the ministry and at the Palace, where he regularly sees President McPherson.  Jim says his MSU studies “have been extremely helpful” to his reconstruction work.  “I’m proud to be an MSU alum,” he says.  “I try to follow the football team, but since there’s no television here, I have to check the Internet for the results.”