Public spirit and social cohesion in face of collapse

Before sanctions, Iraq boasted one of the best public healthcare systems in the developing world, free, staffed by highly qualified professionals (usually trained abroad) and very well-equipped. Health cover was 97% in the cities and 78% in rural areas. 

Sanctions led to a reduction of the healthcare budget by 70%. A third of hospital beds were forced to close, and patients had to provide their own bedding and food, and even anaesthetics when they had surgery. When entering a medical centre, the first thing that hit you was the strong smell: they were cleaned using petrol mixed with water because there was an embargo on making or importing detergents as they contained products such as chlorine which could be modified for military purposes.

The impact of the economic sanctions on healthcare for the Iraqi people was dealt with collectively thanks to the public spirit and social cohesion of the Iraqis. Patients and their families showed unwavering understanding, while healthcare workers —powerless and perplexed at their sudden inability to treat the population despite their excellent training— were an example of dedication and perseverance.

From the start of the sanctions in August 1990, and once stocks ran out, they had to wait until May 1997 for the first authorized medicines to enter the country under the UN Security Council’s «oil for food» programme. Distribution was by single doses, never the whole box. Access to medicine improved but it was not enough, especially for chronic patients and the elderly. The shelves in the chemists and health centres were empty. Any minor ailment at any age inevitably led to death, with a yearly average of 50,000 extra deaths in over 65 years, and over 750,000 extra deaths according to government statistics.