The goal of this mission was to defend approximately 4 million Kurdish people fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the Gulf War and supply them with humanitarian aid.
Personnel were sourced primarily from the 2nd Field Ambulance[5] of the Operational Deployment Force (the 3rd Brigade) in Townsville and from various units in the ADF including members from the 1st Health Support Battalion (1HSB).
The common conditions treated included diarrhoea, dehydration, malnutrition, scabies, respiratory tract infections, malaria, typhoid fever, anaemia, and a range of chronic diseases.
Fragmentation injuries were also seen due to the vast number of land mines and unexploded ammunition littered across the countryside.
[4] According to Little and Hodge, by the time the ADF personnel had completed Operation Habitat on 30 June 1991, life for the Kurdish people was returning to normal and health in the region was rapidly improving.