Description

In the aftermath of the war in March and April 2003,
Iraq now finds itself, after more than three decades of Ba’ath
party rule, in a period of uncertainty and transition.The
events of 2003 mark the latest upheaval facing Iraq in its
recent history.During the 1980-90s, Iraq experienced two
major wars (the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War; the Kuwait War
of 1991), followed by a decade of economic sanctions. As a
result the country’s economy, infrastructure, environment,
health system, and other social indicators deteriorated
sharply.Today, with the regime of former President Saddam
Hussein no longer in place, a Coalition Provisional
Authority (CPA), led by the United States, the United
Kingdom and more recently the Interim Government of Dr.
Allawi (until elections in January 2005) is temporarily
governing the country.This paper provides an assessment of
the health status in Iraq before, during and after these events.