A report released last week by the Iraqi government has demonstrated a marked increase in mortality rates, and fuelled the argument that border restrictions should be relaxed. Since 1990, the sanctions imposed on Iraq have had a detrimental effect on the health of the population. As well as the effects of the severe shortage of drugs and medical equipment, the lack of food and clean water has taken its toll on the population.
The report estimates that 800,000 people have died as a result of shortages of drugs and medical supplies during the sanctions. The main requirement to deal with this situation is that sanctions on medicine and health supplies are removed. However, recognising the difficulties in achieving this, chairmen of Iraqi District Health Authorities suggest that lives could be saved if patients were allowed to be transferred by air from the provinces to Baghdad or out of the country for medical care.
Before the Gulf War many Iraqis went abroad for medical investigations and tratment, often with government sponsorship. This possibility is virtually closed now because the only way of leaving the country is by the arduous 900 km land route across the desert to Amman, Jordan.
Because of the collapse of the health-service infrastructure, ambulances are rarely used for the transfer of patients to hospitals, let alone for moving them abroad for treatment. The public, instead, have to rely on poorly maintained taxis or coaches which are not equipped to deal with seriously ill patients.
Civilian flights in and out of the country are banned, and a recent incident in which the Iraqi government defied this ban to fly elderly pilgrims to Saudi Arabia was seen in the West as a ploy to open the air routes. It is likely that requests to fly people out of the country for treatment will be regarded in a similar light.
In the meantime, the continued conflict and the use of sanctions is
resulting in a serious health-care crisis for the ordinary people of Iraq.
However, senior government officials continue to enjoy their privileges,
as was seen recently, when, according to reports, German and French
specialists flew to Baghdad to operate on the President's son, Urday.