By: Ibrahim Ebeid

Another episode in the death saga, scripted by the U.S, directed
by the UN special commission, and starred by the Iraqi people
is currently in the making.

Unlike other theatrical shoots however, the cast is neither made
of actors, nor shallow souls (as found in most commercial series).

Rather, it is made of children, men, and women, who just happen
to be at the crossing point between US/UN tyranny, and world indifference.

The shoot site is not a production house either, it is an X-hotel,
transformed into a hospital, so it could accommodate all the
Christmas gifts of death, disease and hunger, through which the
U.S, the U.K, and the U.N . . decided to bestow their humanity.

In Sadams children hospital, located in the city of Karbala,
southern of Iraq, the sighs of around 400 children could be
heard bouncing off its grimly gray corridors, while 110 families
watch in vain, in this constantly crowded hospital.

The relentless doctors say that around one hundred children enter
the hospital daily, forcing them to makeup some space, by sending
home other children, who barely received their treatment.

In addition, the hospital through its external clinic receives
around 400 patients daily.

The doctors say that even if they could miraculously find the
time to treat everyone, they would still find themselves helpless
due to the lack (almost non-existence) of required medicines.

Dr Abdel-Karim Qasim, while trying to avoid colliding with the
patients in a crowded room comments, "it is very hard on us
(doctors), none of our patients is provided with the medicines
he / she needs".

Meanwhile, a wide eyed girl has entered the hospital for the
third time. Her lusterless face reflects an erroneous age, much
more than her actual, eighteen months.

Her weight on the other hand (6 KG) stands at half of its regular
counterpart, for someone in her age category.

Dr Qasim reflects on that seen by indicating that when he was a student
of medicine 15 years ago, he had never seen a patient admitted to the
hospital for nutrition related cases.

Now however, the hospital admits between 20 to 100 children monthly, who
are diagnosed with a severe case of malnutrition.

In the hospital's external clinic, Dr. Haidar Treash refers to the severe
lack of antibiotics, adding that he has to examine a bit over 200 children
hourly, making adequate care impossible.

The hospital manager, Mohhamad Touhma complains from the lack of medical
supplies, and henceforth the inability of the hospital to accommodate the
patients needs. He says, "in the winter, we have people diagnosed with
inflammatory lungs, while in the summer, we receive patients with stomach
flew, in view of the medical supplies shortage, we attend to them when we
get the supplies, rather than when they are in need of the treatment".

Mr. Touhma refers also to the ten fold increase in the death rate of
nursing infants under the embargo.

Through all that, Washington D.C and Baghdad accuse each other
of being the culprit vis-à-vis the suffering experienced by the
Iraqi people.

Iraq says that the current embargo, which prevents it from utilizing its
natural resources by selling oil in the open markets (among other
restrictions) has destroyed its health care system, for which it was envied
before the cruel siege.

"Even though food and medicine are exempt from the embargo, we simply
do not have enough money to purchase them", declares the government
of Iraq.

Iraq also complains about the death of 1.2 million Iraqis as a result of
the embargo.

The United States on the other hand accuses Iraq of exploiting the
suffering of its own people to win political sympathy in order to
facilitate its spending on expansionist projects, rather than food
purchases.

The one or so year old "oil for food" deal was supposed to
satisfy the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people. The deal
allows Baghdad to sell about a billion dollars worth of oil
every six months, so it could finance food, and medicine purchases.

Even though the oil gets sold, the humanitarian aid still gets
delayed.

Iraq says that the so called "oil for food" deal has become
an "oil for nothing" contract. It also threatened that it won't
make its oil available to the markets in the third stage of the
agreement, unless its grievances regarding the humanitarian aid
delays are dealt with.

The U.S president Mr. Bill Clinton has stated that such a decision
portrays the Iraqi's government apathy towards the suffering of
its people.

Kufi Anan, secretary-general of the U.N has echoed some of
Iraq's complaints, concurring some "unforeseen", unprecedented,
and bureaucratic complications (among other obstructions),
the "oil for food" deal had to, and is being forced to endure.

Further to that, he confirmed Iraq's sightings in delays of the
humanitarian aid, in addition to the deteriorating health, and nutritional
conditions in the country.

The delays in the food supplies indicates that the Iraqis have
only received their full monthly share only once since the
implementation of the deal more than 12 months ago. Even so,
the allotted quantity, (which is dominated by carbohydrates,
and lacks protein) can only provide for a mere three weeks.

"Even if the full aid has arrived on time, it would still fall
short - even as a temporary solution - of the basic humanistic
needs of the Iraqi people", states Mr. Kufi Anan.

The doctors at Karbala's hospital agree. Dr. Treash, who is
professionally impaired by the lack of antibiotics says,
"in relation to the medical supplies we're allowed through
the deal, the benefits . . are really negligible".

Reports prepared by the United Nations Children's fund (UNICEF),
have revealed the nil effect the "oil for food" deal has had
on the troubled health care status in Iraq since the deal inception.

"There isn't a hospital we enter without being confronted by
severe malnutrition cases", said Margaret Hasan, from the
International relief association.

She also added, "the shortage experienced in Karbala's hospital,
is not, but a common state in the rest of Iraq's hospitals".

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