The burden of infections and child health in Iraq.

eries of sanctions and prolonged wars have brought enormous calamities in Iraq. In a country where a major bulk of population are children, massive deterioration in physical, mental and social health has been witnessed during and after the conflicts in Iraq. With respect to the increasing burden of infections that have incapacitated children and their lives, the state of nutrition and unavailability of safe environment were thoroughly assessed in this article. Due to the recent deterioration of child health situation in Iraq recommendations are given to focus on the most crucial issues of child health. Health of Iraqi children has been a matter of growing concern. Decade long sanctions imposed by the United Nations (UN) in 1991 and series of wars have brought the country to a devastating state.1-3 Classifying countries on the basis of various development indicators United Nations International Childrens Fund (UNICEF) report on the State of the World’s Children (2003) have ranked Iraq on the 33rd position for under 5 mortality rate.1 The infrastructure of Iraqi health system has become profoundly fragile. The reports further prove that Iraq’s progress in child survival has been the worst among 201 countries in the world. It was worse than even Botswana and Zimbabwe, which have an adult prevalence of human immuno-deficiency virus close to 40%.4 The main cause of increase in infant, child and maternal mortality can be attributed to rising poverty the breakdown of basic services, of water and sewage disposal, poor sanitation and deterioration of health services, in terms of lack of drugs, equipment and quality. Children are dying of commonly preventable diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and from acute respiratory infections, malnutrition and other debilitating diseases.1,2 The article basically focuses on child health situation with respect to the previous and ongoing conflict in Iraq. With respect to 3 parameters like health development, burden of infections and nutrition an assessment is made that provides clues for emergency interventions. Several aspects of child health in Iraq are still unknown, but various reports have shown a grim picture in the recent times. Bombing in the recent past has destroyed water and sanitation are at risk of sabotage of various factions across the country. Vital medicines have been robbed, and health facilities damaged after the fall of Saddam regimen. Health facilities cannot perform diagnostic tests as some reagents are missing.2-4 Shortages of vaccines and S Brief Communication