PHA-Exchange> PHA -2 Press Release (18 July) : WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION MUST PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE

[UNNIKRISHNAN P.V. (Dr)]

PRESS RELEASE .            URGENT.       (Total pages 2, including this)
For media enquiries: +593  919 6 1712 / +593  9873 9376 / +593  9453
0115 / +593  9156 2935
People's Health Movement PHM - re-establish health and equitable
development as top priorities with comprehensive primary health care
Demand for independent commission on Iraq’s health situation
 
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION MUST PROTECT THE HEALTH  OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE
 
“Violence against doctors by the US occupying forces has triggered a
mass exodus of doctors from Iraq” 
 
Cuenca, Ecuador, 18 July: Doctors attending the second People’s Health
Assembly testified that over 100 doctors have been killed in violence
against doctors and patients in Iraq during the past two years of US
occupation. 
 
“In 2004 alone 71 medical professors have been killed or been
intimidated to leave the country. There is complete insecurity in Iraqi
hospitals that has resulted in many casualties” said Dr. Salam Ismael,
General Secretary, Doctors for Iraq.
 
“Thousands of doctors, many of them highly experienced have already left
the country” he said. Doctors for Iraq is an independent association of
medical professionals that was set up in October 2003. 
 
PHA 2 is being held here from 17-22 July. PHA 2 is organized by the
People’s Health Movement, a global coalition of health workers, doctors,
activists and people from various walks of life.
 
PHA 2 is proposing to the WHO to monitor the health situation in Iraq
independently. “WHO should set up a special commission for this purpose”
said a spokes person for the People’s Health Movement. “The world needs
to find out the truth about what is happening to the Iraqi people under
US occupation” he said while addressing a press conference here today.
 
The Iraqi doctor gave a blow by blow account of targeted attack on
hospitals and doctors. For example, he said that earlier this year at
the Bakoba General Hospital, in the east of Iraq – the army entered and
beat up one doctor and arrested another. When the doctors protested they
were also beaten up. And in May this year US forces laid siege to a
hospital in Hadeeth, western Iraq on the suspicion that there were
insurgents hiding inside. They subsequently raided the hospital and
smashed medical equipment, killing one patient with random gunfire. 
 
Targetting civilian population and medical facilities and personnel is a
blatant violation of Geneva conventions. “This is a war crime of the
first order” Dr. Bert De Belder of International Action for Liberation,
Belgium. 
 
PHA 2 began with a symbolic ceremony of indigenous people here yesterday
at the Parque Arqueológico Pumapungo (Pumapungo Archeological Park). The
ceremony was attended by delegates from over 70 countries.
 
“PHA 2 is a leap forward from PHA-1” said Prof. Quasem Choudhury ,
Bangladesh. Prof. Choudhury was the co-ordinator of PHA-1 that was held
in Bangladesh that was attended by people from over 70 countries. “PHA 2
is making connections between the health movements in Latin America to
the rest of the world” he said.
 
“Free Trade Agreements are the number enemy of public health today” said
Dr. Eduardo Espinoza, El Salvador. “Asia can learn lessons from Latin
America”, he said while referring to the disastrous impacts of unfair
trade practices that has reversed the health indicators in many
countries.
 
“What Africans need is justice and not charity” said Ms. Mary Sandasi,
Zimbabwe addressing presspersons here today. She was referring to the
failure of the recently held G 8 summit in affectively dealing with the
debt issue.
 
PHA 2 will be held over five days and includes dozens of workshops and
seminars on a variety of themes ranging from impact militarization on
health to the politics of aid in emergency and disaster situations.
Delegates include doctors and other health personnel together with trade
union, environment and human rights activists 
 
For media enquiries for PHA-2, please call:        
+593  919 6 17 12 (Unnikrishnan - unnikru at yahoo.com  ) or    
*	Fabiola (Spanish) : 0 9453 0115 (From abroad : dial +593  9453
0115 )
*	Sanjana / Satya (English):  0 9156 2935  (From abroad : dial
+593  9156 2935) (sanjanab at yahoo.com) ; satyasagar at yahoo.com 
*	Gloria (Eng and Spanish): 0 9873 9376 (From abroad : dial +593
9873 9376) 
 
 <http://www.phmovement.org/> www.phmovement.org  and
<http://www.iphcglobal.org/> www.iphcglobal.org
 
 
 
 
 
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