WHO: Our partnership with Iraq is experiencing its strongest period

 The World Health Organization confirmed today, Thursday that the partnership with the Iraqi Ministry of Health is experiencing its strongest period, indicating that its support will continue.

The representative of the World Health Organization in Iraq, Ahmed Al-Zwaiten, said in his speech during a celebration held on the occasion of the World Health Day and the 30th anniversary of the founding of the World Health Office in Iraq, and attended by the correspondent of the Iraqi News Agency (INA), "We celebrate 30 years of the presence of the World Health Organization in Iraq with great efforts from My colleagues and 30 years of partnership with the Iraqis.".

He added, "The organization's partnership with the Ministry of Health is experiencing its strongest period, and since the beginning of the pandemic, the organization has worked to support the Ministry.".

He stressed, "On this occasion, I should stop to pay tribute to the heroes of the White Army who put their lives at risk to save the Iraqis."

And he added, "The pandemic had severe symptoms for the world, and Iraq was not excluded from it, and the pandemic played a role on the strengths and weaknesses of the health systems in the world, and all governments became aware of the importance of investing in health."

He pointed out that "the Ministry of Health, with the support of the World Health Organization, was able to assess the readiness of the Iraqi health system and its ability to provide health security for all citizens, and concluded with important recommendations that would advance the health sector in the short and medium term, and we strive together to reach comprehensive health coverage.".

On the other hand, he stressed that "climate change is responsible for 23% of the total burden of disease in the northeastern Mediterranean, as an estimated one million people die prematurely in our region due to living in an unhealthy environment and lead to environmental hazards that are polluting water and air with toxic substances and water shortages and services to exacerbate the inherent vulnerability of our countries to infectious diseases."