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Can developing countries face novel coronavirus outbreak alone? The Iraqi situation
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Can developing countries face novel coronavirus outbreak alone? The Iraqi situation

Ehab Mudher Mikhael and Ali Azeez Al-Jumaili
Public Health in Practice, Vol.1, pp.100004-100004
11/2020
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100004
PMCID: PMC7194717
PMID: 34171039
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100004View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Iraq is one of seven Arabic countries (Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) that acquired novel coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) via people who have visited Iran recently. Iraqi outdated public healthcare settings are already overwhelmed with many acute injuries from ongoing unrest. Iraq faces six challenges in controlling COVID-19 [1]: A shortage in number of quarantine facilities [2], the availability of the testing which is limited to one governmental lab only in Baghdad [3], a shortage in personal protective equipment (PPE) and ambulances [4], a low level of public awareness [5], a shortage in hygiene preparations and [6] a high rate of antibiotic resistance in case of secondary bacterial infection. Thus, Iraq alone cannot control such a rapidly emerging outbreak and needs help from the international community and the World Health Organization (WHO) to prepare additional medical labs, establish high standard quarantine facilities and provide medical equipment for healthcare professionals. On its side, Iraq needs to impose more restrictions on travel from countries with a COVID-19 outbreak as other countries have done.
 Challenges Corona virus Iraq

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