WHO announces plans for Iraq

Friday, 2 May 2003 12:00 AM

The World Health Organisation has announced that $20m per month is needed to "jump start" Iraq's shattered heath system.

As well as being cut off from supplies by the US-led military campaign, and being overwhelmed by civilian casualties of the war, Iraq's hospitals were subject to heavy looting during the power vacuum that followed the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime.

The director general of the WHO, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, commented: "In the past days and weeks, we have seen the commitment of Iraqi health workers to public health. They have continued to work under some very difficult conditions."

"Now we must ensure that their dedication and bravery is not wasted. Iraq's health system must not collapse for want of finance and support."

The initial steps will involve the very basics of hospital operations: making the facilities are clean, that they have power, that patients are provided with food, and that staff are given some form of pay.

The WHO estimates that just an additional few thousand dollars per month is all that is needed to make sure that each one of the key hospitals in the country can continue to provide basic health services.

The organisation has already made emergency plans to support Iraq's health services and the WHO representative for Iraq returned to the country yesterday in order to implement the strategy.

There are hopes that further normality will return to Iraq, as negotiations are continuing with the aim of establishing an interim government.

In the meantime there have been reports in the American press that a former US state department official has been appointed as civilian administrator of Iraq.

The formal announcement regarding Paul Bremer is expected to be made in the near future, and could help to ease tensions about the military influence in Iraq.

Currently, retired general Jay Garner - who reports directly to the Pentagon - is in charge of overseeing the rebuilding of the country.

Tags: