Iraq challenges serious diseases due to climate change
Date
10/25/2023 5:36:18 AM
(MENAFN) In a remote village in Iraq, a concerned father draws attention to a blister on his one-year-old daughter's face, a consequence of a parasitic infection transmitted by sandflies. This condition is commonly known as the "Baghdad boil." The toddler, named Tiba, resides in the drought-stricken province of Al-Diwaniyah, and, like many children in Iraq, faces health challenges due to a combination of factors, including the lasting impact of conflict, persistent poverty, water scarcity, and the effects of a warming planet.
Najeh Farhan, Tiba's father, expresses the frustration of many in his village of Al-Zuweiya, as he laments the absence of medical facilities and access to healthcare. Tiba's ailment is identified as cutaneous leishmaniasis, a disease that has been endemic in Iraq for decades. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2022, 8,000 cases had been officially recorded in the country.
However, in an unexpected turn, the WHO reported the first confirmed case of this disease in a traditionally "sand fly-free" province in northern Iraq. The organization attributes this spread of the disease to "inadequate access to medical treatment in remote areas," but also underscores the role of climate change. Wael Hatahit, the acting representative of the WHO in Iraq, emphasizes that the sandfly, like other insects, thrives under specific temperature and humidity conditions. He connects the northward expansion of the sandfly-borne disease to the changing climate, marked by rising temperatures and alterations in rainfall patterns.
Tiba and one of her brothers, who suffers from jaundice and a skin rash, are just two examples of the broader public health crisis confronting Iraq. The country faces a range of health issues, from cholera outbreaks to chronic diarrhea and asthma attacks triggered by sandstorms. Disadvantaged communities, particularly in the south and central regions of the country, are disproportionately affected by these challenges.
Amidst these difficulties, the Iraqi Red Crescent has initiated campaigns in nine provinces, aiming to support communities grappling with the harsh impact of soaring temperatures and persistent drought on their agricultural livelihoods.
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