Although all segments of the population in Iraq have suffered from environmental contaminants, children have been especially affected. Due to neglect, repeated military conflicts, and international sanctions, over 500,000 children have died in the past decade. The primary cause of death among children is malnourishment and infectious diseases which arise due to a lack of basic health and sanitation services. The situation is worsened by congenital malformations and defects caused by exposure to radioactive material and chemicals associated with wars.
Constant military conflicts have had agonizing effects on children in Iraq.
Infant Mortality
In the post-Gulf War period, the infant mortality rate rose to 103/1000 due to the severe health deterioration in the country in the 1990's. This is nearly double the ratio prior to that period. The mortality rate of children under five years of age in Iraq is now the worst in the world. Unicef reports that Iraq ranks 126th out of 174 on the list of UN Human Development Index, while it ranked 50th out of 130 on the list in 1990.
Environmentally related diseases
A variety of environmentally related chronic diseases are emerging among children due to their ongoing exposure to environmental contaminants. The most serious issue is diarrhea from water contamination, which proves fatal in many cases. Over 50% of the country's water supply is contaminated because the infrastructure and water purification system were destroyed during the recent war. Upper respiratory tract disease from exposure to air contaminants is another significant concern. Additionally, many cases of cancer and congenital abnormalities among children are believed to be environmentally related.
Children at play in a neighborhood in Baghdad.
It is expected that the Evironmental Health and Resource Centers established through the SBU-HEAD program will enable Iraqi specialists to study and prevent many of the environmental health problems currently facing children in Iraq.
