By Shakir Al Taee
Gulf-NewsFebruary 9, 2003
The outcome of the UN-imposed embargo on Iraq can be seen clearly in the increasing number of rare diseases spreading across the country.
Banned weapons used by the Western allies against the country, especially depleted uranium, have been a basic factor in the spread of many serious diseases. Shortages of medical appliances and drugs, particularly modern instruments, have worsened things by increasing the mortality rate.
The long disruption of contact with scientific developments in the world for more than a decade has even prevented the highly skilled Iraqi doctors from developing new skills to tackle new diseases and handle difficult cases. In an attempt to face this difficult situation, the authorities set up an Olympic Hospital in 1999 to save whatever can be save as many victims as possible. The hospital has performed 2,893 surgical operations and offered treatment to 24,604 patients.
Doctors and representatives of medical and humanitarian organisations from various parts of the world, including Iraq, recently gathered here in an international conference to study rare diseases in the country and recommend solutions. Dr Zuhair Saeed Al Azzawi told Gulf News that the conference also sought to "develop medical research and pinpoint facts on rare diseases in Iraq."
The conference was organised by the Olympic Hospital, which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eminent hospitals such as Saint Raphael and San Donato in Milan to secure medical support. Accordingly, 29 children were sent for treatment in Italy. Another MoU was signed with the Turkish Sanko Medical Centre to provide treatment to disabled children.
The hospital said it would send 15 children with their escorts to hospitals in Austria under agreement with the Iraqi-Austrian Society.
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