Health Care And Women In Iraq

Iraq has been highly struck by all the miseries that can happen. After the war, the venue has been equally devastated by lack of governance and a number of health care issues. The problems are even more aggravated in case of women in Iraq. They are already the most suppressed and underprivileged class of people surviving in Iraq. They have been living this way since years and during a catastrophe like this they are the ones who are most hindered.

The crisis had been initiated through wars and the country is still in a state of despair. Though the overall condition of the medical supplies is improving, maternity and other women hospitals are still under improbable condition. UN and WHO have been actively trying to provide emergency kits and women oriented medication to pediatric and maternity hospitals. The situation is so adverse that drugs like iron tablets, estrogen, birth control pills and progesterone are minimal in number. The knives and syringes once used are being reused and this worsens the scenario by causing infections. And this is not a condition which has come up suddenly; pregnancy complications have been long since remained unattended.

Not only the goods even the amenities are missing big time. The delivery and labor occur in a dark places with glimpses of light from outside. There are inadequate supplies of staff or even beds. This might be a situation in one of the hospitals but the condition is more or less similar all around. Usage of non sterile equipments is virtual death to pregnant mother as well as the child to be born as it results in viscous infection. Anesthesia tools are also a missing entity. Post war, Hospitals has been a complete disorder and it's just a reciprocation of country's condition where clean drinking water is also a rare commodity.

Hospitals are not the only source of disappointment, even families are. The male head of the family has been also an obstruction for the women to report miseries. Their reasons can be various but the fact can't be denied that women don't approach doctors even in case of emergencies. One of the prime causes is the fear; it has kept females from leaving their homes. Other factor is the lack of knowledge about the severity. Doctors helplessly complain that the cases of women approaching hospitals are very few and suggest that reconstruction of healthcare in Iraq would have to be funded well with women awareness and amenities as the primary focus.

The reconstruction though is being carried out but at a trivial pace. There have been requirements placed considering urgent needs of women. As infant mortality is an alarming issue the principal criteria is providing medications and thus ensuring safe child birth. Even safe and clean water is being urged along with pre-natal vitamins like Vitamin B12, folic acid and IV fluid. Awareness programs not only on medical but also on social front are to be initiated thereby making people understand the importance of health care.

All in all, UNICEF and WHO are trying hard towards reviving healthcare facilities in Iraq. But still, they have miles to go before women in Iraq actually get benefitted.