Health of Iraqi People Already at Risk
Health of Iraqi People Already at Risk
Health Care System Never Recovered from Gulf War
Feb. 20, 2003 -- Little more than a decade ago, the health care system in Iraq was heralded as among the best in the Middle East, but the impact of the Gulf War and subsequent trade sanctions on Iraq have left the system in shambles and poorly prepared to meet even the most basic needs. Now, with the threat of yet another war looming, a new report warns that the health of the Iraqi people may hang in the balance.
The report, published in the Feb. 22 issue of The Lancet, highlights the precarious status of the health care system in Iraq following more than 12 years of United Nations-imposed economic sanctions. Although modest gains have been made since the nation's electricity-generating stations, water-purification plants, and sewage treatment networks were destroyed, researchers say the general population is still extremely vulnerable.
According to UNICEF estimates, 16 million Iraqi people are completely dependent on government rations for their food and survival and most of the remaining 8 million Iraqis rely on the rations for at least a portion of their daily food supply. Many also sell these rations to raise money to provide other necessities.
Child malnutrition remains a major issue. Rates of chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years old peaked at 32% in 1996 and is currently around 23%, according to UNICEF.
Infant mortality also peaked in the mid-1990s at 131 deaths per 1,000 live births, but recent estimates show those rates have dropped below 100 per 1,000 births -- still far above Western standards.
Most deaths among Iraqi children are due to preventable illness caused by poor sanitary conditions. For example, diarrhea leading to dehydration and acute respiratory infections account for about 70% of childhood deaths in Iraq, according to a 2002 UNICEF report.
The country's main source of water, the Tigris, is heavily polluted by raw sewage, and only about half of all water treatment plants work. Of those, only about a quarter meet Iraq's own environmental standards, according to recently published reports.
Researchers say reliable information on the condition of Iraq's 1,285 healthcare clinics and 162 public hospitals is limited, but most are in major need of renovation. They are also plagued by poorly functioning electricity and restricted access to water.
Finally, experts say that the breakdown in the country's electrical grid after the Gulf war has had a major impact on all aspects of the health care system. Although many hospitals now have their own generators that allow them to function for short periods of time, they would not be able to withstand any sustained increase in demand, such as one prompted by an influx of war casualties.
SOURCE: The Lancet, Feb. 22, 2003.
Health of Iraqi People Already at Risk
Health Care System Never Recovered from Gulf War
Feb. 20, 2003 -- Little more than a decade ago, the health care system in Iraq was heralded as among the best in the Middle East, but the impact of the Gulf War and subsequent trade sanctions on Iraq have left the system in shambles and poorly prepared to meet even the most basic needs. Now, with the threat of yet another war looming, a new report warns that the health of the Iraqi people may hang in the balance.
The report, published in the Feb. 22 issue of The Lancet, highlights the precarious status of the health care system in Iraq following more than 12 years of United Nations-imposed economic sanctions. Although modest gains have been made since the nation's electricity-generating stations, water-purification plants, and sewage treatment networks were destroyed, researchers say the general population is still extremely vulnerable.
According to UNICEF estimates, 16 million Iraqi people are completely dependent on government rations for their food and survival and most of the remaining 8 million Iraqis rely on the rations for at least a portion of their daily food supply. Many also sell these rations to raise money to provide other necessities.
Child malnutrition remains a major issue. Rates of chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years old peaked at 32% in 1996 and is currently around 23%, according to UNICEF.
Infant mortality also peaked in the mid-1990s at 131 deaths per 1,000 live births, but recent estimates show those rates have dropped below 100 per 1,000 births -- still far above Western standards.
Most deaths among Iraqi children are due to preventable illness caused by poor sanitary conditions. For example, diarrhea leading to dehydration and acute respiratory infections account for about 70% of childhood deaths in Iraq, according to a 2002 UNICEF report.
The country's main source of water, the Tigris, is heavily polluted by raw sewage, and only about half of all water treatment plants work. Of those, only about a quarter meet Iraq's own environmental standards, according to recently published reports.
Researchers say reliable information on the condition of Iraq's 1,285 healthcare clinics and 162 public hospitals is limited, but most are in major need of renovation. They are also plagued by poorly functioning electricity and restricted access to water.
Finally, experts say that the breakdown in the country's electrical grid after the Gulf war has had a major impact on all aspects of the health care system. Although many hospitals now have their own generators that allow them to function for short periods of time, they would not be able to withstand any sustained increase in demand, such as one prompted by an influx of war casualties.
SOURCE: The Lancet, Feb. 22, 2003.
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