The Iraq Child Health Program
FACT SHEET
During Saddam Hussein's rule, estimates of child mortality rates hovered at 125 deaths per 1,000 births for children under the age of five. Diarrhea and acute respiratory infections accounted for 70 percent of the deaths. While the health situation for Iraqi children remains a concern, reports from the Ministry of Health and Environment indicate that the last year has witnessed an important drop in rates of disease among children under five, particularly for cholera and diarrhea. Current child mortality estimates by USAID and the Ministry of Health place the figure at 50 deaths per 1,000 births, which comports with data provided by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Discussion
The U.S. Government is working with a number of international and local organizations to reduce childhood mortality in Iraq. Working alongside the U.S. Government, the UN Trust Fund is also addressing child mortality through a number of different programs and has set a goal for a 50 percent reduction in under-five and infant mortality for its 2005-2007 health programming.
USAID and partners are helping the Ministry of Health (MoH) build capacity to enhance policy, increase access to health care, and improve essential services for mothers and children. Technical specialists work closely with communities to increase participation and improve primary health care services. The U.S. Government also supports the design and construction of a pediatric hospital in Basrah.
Key Accomplishments to Date
- Immunized over 3 million children under five
- Vaccinated over 700,000 pregnant women against tetanus
- Updated skills of 2,500 primary health care providers
- Distributed high protein biscuits to more than 450,000 children and 200,000 pregnant and nursing mothers.
- Trained over 2,000 health educators, teachers, religious leaders and youth on hygiene, diarrhea, breast feeding, and immunization issues.
- Established a national program to fortify wheat flour with iron and folic acid
- Assisted in the development of a national strategy and guidelines for Infant and Young Child Feeding
- Completed curricula to be used in training staff of 141 USG-funded model primary health care centers
- Re-equipped over 600 health clinics with essential equipment and supplies
- Re-established national disease surveillance system intended to improve the existing capacity of the Ministry of Health in monitoring and tracking incidence of disease
- Reached agreement with Ministry of Health regarding the development of Basrah Children's Hospital.
Next Steps
- Assist the Ministry of Health in building capacity at the national and governorate levels to make the transition to a decentralized healthcare system.
- Continue work on the Basrah Children's Hospital
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