Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Iraq's child mortality rate up by 150% since 1990

From Save The Children:

“Iraq’s child mortality rate has increased by a staggering 150 percent since 1990, more than any other country. Even before the latest war, Iraqi mothers and children were facing a grave humanitarian crisis caused by years of repression, conflict and external sanctions. Since 2003, electricity shortages, insufficient clean water, deteriorating health services and soaring inflation have worsened already difficult living conditions. Some 122,000 Iraqi children (1 in 8) died in 2005 before reaching their fifth birthday. More than half of these deaths were among newborn babies in the first month of life. Pneumonia and diarrhea are the other two major killers of children in Iraq, together accounting for over 30 percent of child deaths. Only 35 percent of Iraqi children are fully immunized, and more than one-fifth (21 percent) are severely or moderately stunted. Conservative estimates place increases in infant mortality following the 2003 invasion of Iraq at 37 percent.”


Not a lot I can add. These (particularly horrifying) facts stand by themselves. A naked indictment of Republican politcs. Please see that this link is circulated. The full State of the World's Mother's 2007 report (PDF) is definitely a riveting read.

R.

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