Friday, May 11, 2007
Study - 50 per cent of deaths due to cancer in southern Iraq
Health
(Azzaman) - Cancer-related death rates have increased substantially in southern Iraq particularly in the provinces of Basra and Missan, a medical study has found. The study by the Basra University’s Medical College scientists said cancerous diseases are now the cause of “a large percentage of deaths” in southern Iraq.
It said 10 different cancers were prevalent in the region. The researchers used hospital morgue statistics for their investigation and findings. The study reveals that 56.3 per cent of all male deaths in southern Iraq are caused by cancer. “Cancer-related female deaths amount to 43.7 per cent,” the study said.
Meanwhile, another study by Basra University’s Maritime Research Center has shown that pesticides were being used excessively in Iraq leading to detrimental impact on the environment and agricultural produce. The high concentration of chemical substances in water and locally produced vegetables and other foods was much higher than normal standards, the study said. It said chemicals were even being used in fishing. “The high percentage usage of chemicals particularly in southern Iraq has an adverse impact even on breast feeding and pregnant women,” it said.
It said 10 different cancers were prevalent in the region. The researchers used hospital morgue statistics for their investigation and findings. The study reveals that 56.3 per cent of all male deaths in southern Iraq are caused by cancer. “Cancer-related female deaths amount to 43.7 per cent,” the study said.
Meanwhile, another study by Basra University’s Maritime Research Center has shown that pesticides were being used excessively in Iraq leading to detrimental impact on the environment and agricultural produce. The high concentration of chemical substances in water and locally produced vegetables and other foods was much higher than normal standards, the study said. It said chemicals were even being used in fishing. “The high percentage usage of chemicals particularly in southern Iraq has an adverse impact even on breast feeding and pregnant women,” it said.
Labels: Basra, Basra University Medical College, cancer, health, medical study, Missan
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Child mortality soars in Iraq
Humanitarian
(AP) - The chance that an Iraqi child will live beyond age 5 has plummeted faster than anywhere else in the world since 1990, according to a report released Tuesday, which placed the country last in its child survival rankings. One in eight Iraqi children died of disease or violence before reaching their fifth birthday in 2005, according to the report by Save the Children, which said Iraq ranked last because it had made the least progress toward improving child survival rates.
Iraq's mortality rate has soared by 150 percent since 1990. Even before the latest war, Iraq was plagued by electricity shortages, a lack of clean water and too few hospitals. The publication, which used data from 1990-2005, also determined that gains in survival rates in some of the world's poorest countries - including Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland - were declining.
Among industrialized countries, Iceland had the best child survival rate, and Romania the worst. The U.S. placed 26th, tied with Croatia, Estonia and Poland. Nearly seven children die for every 1,000 live births in the United States. That was more than double the rate in Iceland, and 75 percent higher than rates in the Czech Republic, Finland, Japan and Slovenia. Among developing countries, Egypt fared the best - lowering its child mortality rate by 68 percent largely by improving care for pregnant women, ensuring the presence of a skilled attendant during childbirth, and providing better family planning help.
Iraq's mortality rate has soared by 150 percent since 1990. Even before the latest war, Iraq was plagued by electricity shortages, a lack of clean water and too few hospitals. The publication, which used data from 1990-2005, also determined that gains in survival rates in some of the world's poorest countries - including Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland - were declining.
Among industrialized countries, Iceland had the best child survival rate, and Romania the worst. The U.S. placed 26th, tied with Croatia, Estonia and Poland. Nearly seven children die for every 1,000 live births in the United States. That was more than double the rate in Iceland, and 75 percent higher than rates in the Czech Republic, Finland, Japan and Slovenia. Among developing countries, Egypt fared the best - lowering its child mortality rate by 68 percent largely by improving care for pregnant women, ensuring the presence of a skilled attendant during childbirth, and providing better family planning help.
Labels: child mortality, children, health, Iraq, Save the Children
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Health Ministry struggles to deliver services due to violence
Security, Health
(Azzaman) - The Ministry of Health faces serious problems in efforts to deliver services to areas hit by violence and military operations, according to Health Minister Hussein al-Shamari. The minister said most of restive areas in Iraq were almost beyond his ministry’s reach. The lack of medicine and deterioration of health services in these places is due to continuing violence rather than lack of resources, he said.
Shamari said he had made a field hospital available to head for the violent-plagued town of Tal Afar nearly three months ago. “The ministry is still facing problems stationing the field hospital in the city despite promises of assistance from the Defense Ministry,” Shamari said. The failure of the ministry to work properly in restive areas means most of the country, apart from the Kurdish north, is suffering.
Shamari said he had made a field hospital available to head for the violent-plagued town of Tal Afar nearly three months ago. “The ministry is still facing problems stationing the field hospital in the city despite promises of assistance from the Defense Ministry,” Shamari said. The failure of the ministry to work properly in restive areas means most of the country, apart from the Kurdish north, is suffering.
Baghdad, home to nearly six million people, as well as Mosul, the country’s second largest city are among the most violent places in the country. Tal Afar, a sizeable town west of Mosul and home to more than 350,000 people is a frequent scene of massive and devastating car bomb attacks targeting densely populated areas. Violence is not restricted to central Iraq. Conditions are worsening in several cities and towns in the south.
Shamari said insurgents and armed groups target his ministry’s staff and convoys carrying medicine and equipment to hospitals across the country. Scores of Iraqi doctors have been killed and many kidnapped for ransom since the 2003 U.S. invasion, forcing many of them to flee the country. Shamari said three vehicles laden with drugs and equipment to treat and fight cancer were looted and the drivers kidnapped recently.
Shamari said insurgents and armed groups target his ministry’s staff and convoys carrying medicine and equipment to hospitals across the country. Scores of Iraqi doctors have been killed and many kidnapped for ransom since the 2003 U.S. invasion, forcing many of them to flee the country. Shamari said three vehicles laden with drugs and equipment to treat and fight cancer were looted and the drivers kidnapped recently.
Labels: health, Hussein al-Shamari, Ministry of Health, violence
Monday, February 26, 2007
Talabani in stable condition in Jordan
(Al Jazeera) Jalal Talabani, Iraq's president, is in stable condition and in good spirits after having suffered from extreme exhaustion and dehydration, a day after he was flown to Jordan for medical tests, his office has said. A statement on Monday said that Talabani was fully conscious after he was admitted to the King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman.
The statement said Talabani fell ill due to a heavy workload. Talabani, who is in his early 70s, denied media reports he had had a heart attack. A US official in Washington said on Sunday that Talabani had been taken to the Jordanian military hospital on a medically equipped US military transport aircraft.
Earlier a doctor in Sulaimaniyah, Talabani's hometown, told AP that the president was unconscious when an ambulance rushed him to a hospital there. Talabani, a Kurd, appeared in public on Saturday in Sulaimaniyah where he met with Zalmay Khalilzad, the US ambassador, and Massoud Barzani, leader of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq.
The statement said Talabani fell ill due to a heavy workload. Talabani, who is in his early 70s, denied media reports he had had a heart attack. A US official in Washington said on Sunday that Talabani had been taken to the Jordanian military hospital on a medically equipped US military transport aircraft.
Earlier a doctor in Sulaimaniyah, Talabani's hometown, told AP that the president was unconscious when an ambulance rushed him to a hospital there. Talabani, a Kurd, appeared in public on Saturday in Sulaimaniyah where he met with Zalmay Khalilzad, the US ambassador, and Massoud Barzani, leader of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq.
Labels: health, Jalal Talabani
