The health crisis in Iraq

Abstract

The vast majority of the Iraqi people welcomed the liberation of Iraq from tyranny in 2003. However, the management of the ‘post-liberation’ Iraq by the American and the British Coalition Forces proved to be of great disappointment for the Iraqis. The deteriorated security has affected many of the daily basic living conditions and halted the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructures after three devastating wars and prolonged severe economic sanctions. This paper describes the deteriorating health status of the Iraq population over the last two years, and suggests some of the actions needed in the short and long term to re-build Iraq to its 1980s levels of prosperity, and more.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Miss Zena Rawaf LLB, Mrs Elizabeth Dubois, MSc and Dr Nagham Al-Khafaji, Director of Health and Vital Statistics Department, Ministry of Health, Iraq for their comments on the manuscript and the supply of the most recent population and health data.