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[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] http://www.jordantimes.com/Mon/homenews/homenews8.htm World Health Day focuses aid agencies on the plight of Iraqi children By Dina Al Wakeel AMMAN — Today the international community celebrates World Health Day amidst fears of a severe deterioration in the health of the Iraqi people, particularly children, in light of the ongoing conflict. This year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is celebrating the annual event under the theme “Healthy Environments for Children.” The programme highlights the necessity of addressing environmental risks to children's health and the need to create healthier surroundings. Persistent poverty, conflicts, natural and man-made disasters as well as social inequity aggravate many environmental threats to children's health, said WHO. UNICEF agrees, pointing out that over the last decade, millions of children have died as a result of conflict — with six million injured or disabled and an estimated 300,000 used as child soldiers, including girls. UNICEF also pointed out that only those children not exposed to exploitation, abuse and violence — hazards often ignored in public health planning — grow up healthy. “A protective environment for children is just as crucial for their health and development,” read a UNICEF statement. WHO expects those that will be the most severely affected by the US-UK invasion of Iraq are children — the most vulnerable segment of society. In Basra, at least 100,000 children could die due to dehydration and diarrhoea which, according to the WHO, is the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five in Iraq. The organisation points out that children generally are more vulnerable due to their susceptibility to environmental conditions. Prior to the war, an estimated 30 per cent of babies in Iraq were born underweight, according to WHO, and the reality is greatly exacerbated in the war zone where medication is lacking. “It appears some medicines are not available such as analgesics, antibiotics, surgical items, and insulin,” said WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib. “In smaller hospitals, there may be a severe lack of anaesthetics, which means operations are performed on patients without their use,” she told The Jordan Times. A Greek doctor that arrived in Jordan from Baghdad was quoted by the Associated Press as saying surgeons were amputating the limbs of both children and adults with too little anaesthetic and not enough antibiotic to protect them. According to Chaib, access to health care and drugs is generally difficult in Iraq but the conflict has made replenishment increasingly problematic. The situation is having a huge impact on the whole population, particularly the chronically ill, said Chaib, referring to more than 600,000 Iraqis with diabetes, 10 per cent of which are believed to be insulin dependent. “There is a also tremendous risk for epidemics in Iraq due to poor water quality.” Monday, April 7, 2003 --------------------------------- Yahoo! Plus - For a better Internet experience _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk