| Healthcare in Iraq has a varied and chequered history. | | | | provided family planning services were destroyed. |
| Following the end of World War I in 1918, a formal | | | | To add to the Iraq health systems dilemma, the |
| system of healthcare in Iraq began with the British | | | | sanitary system collapsed and water born diseases |
| occupation. In 1921 the first Directorate of Public | | | | increased again. No one really knows how many Iraqi |
| health Services or the Ministry of Health was formed, | | | | citizens died but the toll was astronomical. |
| and was formalized in 1959. | | | | Help from foreign quarters: |
| War, whether declared or just a police action has a | | | | In 2004 international countries contributed funds to |
| way of devastating an entire region. Almost | | | | help improve the system of healthcare in Iraq. Two |
| everything disappears into rubble. Basic necessities | | | | hundred and forty hospitals were built as well as |
| like food, water, clothing and housing cease to exist. | | | | twelve hundred primary care facilities were |
| With over 13 years of conflict so is the healthcare | | | | constructed. A greatly needed new influx of medical |
| system in Iraq. | | | | supplies, including inoculations for children and an |
| Iraq before Saddam Hussein had the most modern | | | | improvement in sanitary condition brought some relief |
| and best health system in the region. Their doctors, | | | | to the poor war ravaged citizenry. The international |
| support staff, and hospitals offered up to date | | | | funds were also used to educate hospital personnel. |
| equipment and technology. | | | | Mayhem again: |
| Then in the late 1990's, Saddam cut the budget of | | | | Then hospitals were destroyed again, and by 2005, |
| healthcare in Iraq by ninety percent. Maternal | | | | which left a ratio of only fifteen hospital beds, |
| mortality, increased by three hundred percent, and | | | | approximately six doctors, and eleven nurses per ten |
| infant mortality increased by one hundred percent, | | | | thousand people. |
| and woman returned to wearing veils. Diabetes and | | | | By 2006, blood banks were contaminated and |
| cancer rates increased. | | | | seventy three percent of Human immunodeficiency |
| Diseases flourished while healthcare in Iraq was | | | | virus (HIV or the aids virus) was caused by blood |
| ignored: Malnutrition and water born diseases like | | | | transfusions. |
| malaria, typhoid, cholera and dysentery were | | | | Health authorities in Iraq were unable to pay salaries |
| common. Tuberculosis and childhood disease ran | | | | and buy the drugs they needed. Patients had to pay |
| rampant and people were dying as much from illness | | | | bribes to get into a hospital leaving the poor without |
| as the artillery. | | | | any health care at all. |
| Doctors were kidnapped. One hundred and twenty | | | | It is very obvious that the reconstruction of the |
| were killed. Then thirty thousand doctors, dentists | | | | infrastructure of the system of healthcare in Iraq will |
| and pharmacists fled the country. By the turn of the | | | | not happen quickly. With the oil-for-food program |
| twenty first century the Iraq health system was in | | | | now redundant (it expired on Nov. 21), the clock is |
| ruins, just like it's war torn countryside. By 2003 the | | | | ticking for the international community to deliver the |
| war had destroyed two main laboratories and twelve | | | | necessary investment. It is estimated it will need at |
| percent of the hospitals and seven percent were | | | | least 1.6 billion American dollars to repair present |
| looted. More than 30 percent of the facilities that | | | | system of healthcare in Iraq. |