§ Lord Gardenasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they are seeking to ascertain the scale of non-violent death and disease in Iraq from indirect effects of the continuing security situation. [HL630]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe Iraqi Ministry of Health (MoH) is leading on monitoring the health of the Iraqi people and on improving the health service in Iraq, with donor support.
Funding for the health sector has increased significantly in Iraq since the end of the conflict. Routine vaccination has re-started and national polio and measles vaccinations were completed in September 2004. There have been no major outbreaks of disease since the end of the war. In addition the Department for International Development (DfID) has provided planning and policy advice to the Iraqi MoH in Baghdad and a health consultant to work on improving maternal health in southern Iraq.
DfID has provided £6 million to the World Health Organisation for work, which includes emergency assessments of health infrastructure, the rehabilitation of the national drug distribution system, and re- equipping health units in Baghdad and Basra. DfID has also provided £70 million to United Nations and World Bank trust funds for Iraq, which will be spent on priority sectors such as health and education.