It's definitely worse now than before the war. Even at the height of sanctions, when things were miserable, it wasn't as bad as this. At least then someone was in control.
– Eman Asim, Iraqi Ministry of Health63
Hepatitis is everywhere. It's unbelievable that standing water still causes such outbreaks, a year after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
– Omar Mekki, medical officer for WHO-Iraq64
The Occupying Power is obligated to respect the right to health, to ensure access to health care, and to prevent the spread of contagious disease. Yet even the U.S.-appointed Ministry of Health official who oversees Iraq’s public hospitals reports that health services are currently in worse shape than during the war or under sanctions.65 Unsanitary conditions are common in hospitals.66 There has been a consistent decline in available medicines, drugs,67 and basic supplies, such as gloves, painkillers, syringes, gauze, and oxygen.68 Basic health infrastructure remains broken and in disrepair. Bechtel’s failure to fulfill a contract to repair the Rustamiya sewage treatment plant in Baghdad means that one and a half tons of raw sewage are being dumped into the Tigris River every day.69 One third of the population still lacks clean drinking water,70 and bottled water is too expensive for most Iraqis. A World Health Organization-supported sentinel disease surveillance in the summer of 2003 found that diarrhea had increased threefold from the previous year.71 UN officials report that unsanitary conditions throughout Iraq are causing outbreaks of water-borne disease like hepatitis and cholera.72
U.S. failure to protect Iraqis’ right to health inevitably results in widespread violations of the right to life.73 Deaths due to diarrhea and acute respiratory infections already accounted for 70 percent of childhood mortality in 2002.74 This figure is certainly higher today due to deteriorated health services and increased poverty throughout occupied Iraq. It is worth bearing in mind that over 500,000 children under the age of five died during the sanctions period, largely as a result of unsafe water, inadequate health care services, shortages of medical supplies, and simple poverty.
Legal Principles related to the Rights to Health and Life
- “To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the… medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary… medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate… The Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring and maintaining… public health and hygiene in the occupied territory… the Occupying Power has the duty [to adopt and apply] the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics.” Geneva Convention IV, Arts 55 and 56
- “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Art. 3
- “Every human being has the inherent right to life” International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Art. 6
- “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25
- “Everyone [has the right] to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health…” International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Art. 12
63 Jeffrey Gettleman, “Chaos and War Leave Iraq’s Hospitals in Ruins,” New York Times, February 14, 2004. Available at http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Chaos_and_war_021404.htm.
64 “Inadequate sewage disposal blamed for hepatitis outbreak”, Integrated Regional Information Networks, June 1, 2004. http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/8d62b544c2655a1785256ea600541d06?OpenDocument
65 Gettleman, ibid.
66 Gettleman, ibid.
67 “Penurie generalisee de medicaments—Le Comite d’Aide Medicale denonce une situation inquietante,” April 19, 2004. “Patients complain of medicine shortage,” IRIN, January 22, 2004. http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=39076&SelectRegion=Iraq_Crisis&SelectCountry=IRAQ.
68 Geert Van Morter, M.D., One year after the fall of Baghdad: how healthy is Iraq? April 28, 2004. Available at http://www.health-now.org/site/article.php?articleId=193&menuId=1.
69 Integrated Regional Information Networks, ibid.
70 USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll, April 28, 2004. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-28-poll-cover_x.htm.
71 UN Humanitarian Briefing, July 10, 2003. http://wwww.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0/0cfc17cc074470d649256d60002149f4?OpenDocument.
72 Integrated Regional Information Networks, ibid.
73 The UN Human Rights Committee has interpreted the right to life to protect against government failure to provide adequate health care.
74 Food and Agricultural Organization, Crop, Food Supply, and Nutrition Assessment Mission to Iraq, September 23, 2003. http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2003/fao-irq-23sep.pdf.