Insecurity, under-funding threaten children's health in Basra

[Barrett808]

BASRA, 9 July (IRIN) - NGOs devoted to health issues in southern Iraq say that dozens of children have died of relatively common diseases since January due to a lack of medicine.

"There are no official statistics about the number of children who have died in Basra since January," said Hassan Abdullah, a senior official in the Basra governorate. "But local health department employees and volunteers from some NGOs have collected information suggesting that about 90 children have died as result of the lack of medicine." According to Abdullah, this is worse than the same period last year, when some 40 children died for similar reasons.

Marie Fernandez, a spokeswoman for Vienna-based aid agency Saving Children from War, said that the agency – which has been working with local doctors – has noted a lack of essential supplies, especially intravenous infusions and blood bags. "There's a lack of everything. Children are dying because of bleeding because there are no blood bags available," said Fernandez. "Antibiotics, Pentostam , special milk for dehydrated children, and almost all medical material for emergency conditions aren't available."

In Baghdad, Ministry of Health officials say they are struggling to acquire the required medicines, but noted that their efforts were largely impeded by security issues and official corruption. "Because of security problems, it's difficult to have a complete picture of the problem," said senior ministry official Ahmed Saleh. "We're going to conduct a thorough study on the cases in the south – especially on the lack of medicine, because corruption is complicating the problem."

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/f5cd20d3878932441da02f70bb4eeca1.htm