Perinatal mortality in Iraq more than tripled since sanctions

More than 3000 children are dying every week in Iraq as a result of the decade long embargo that was enforced on the country after its invasion of Kuwait, a new report says.

It puts the total increase in the number of children who have died as a result of the embargo at around 1.6 million since 1990, with year on year increases.

In this period the number of major operations on children has more than halved, paediatric laboratory investigations have dropped by a similar proportion, and the number of low birthweight babies has increased sixfold.

The report shows that the quality of health services, especially for children, has declined sharply in Iraq since sanctions were enforced, in August 1990. It details how Iraq has become a nation with many health indicators that are at or below levels more …