Appeal made for Iraqi healthcare

A group of organisations who are trying to provide for the health care needs of displaced Iraqis have appealed for US$ 84.8 million.

The collection of parteners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), are hoping assist 2.2 million Iraqis who have fled the country.

The money will fund the basic needs of those currently residing in neighbouring countries, in particular Syria, where it is estimated that in the region of 1.5 million Iraqis are living, and Jordan, which is currently hosting around 750, 000.

In Syria alone, hundreds of Iraqi amputees need prostheses and thousands of cancer patients and trauma victims need specialised treatment, said WHO.

They added that access to hospital care was also limited and that the organization feared that a reducing income would mean that many Iraqis were at risk from malnutrition.