Endemic corruption and gross mismanagement are at the heart of Iraq’s health system. At least 82 people were killed and at least 110 were wounded in a horrible fire at Ibn al-Khatib hospital in Baghdad late Saturday night. Preliminary reports believe the fire started from haphazardly stored oxygen cylinders. The hospital has no sprinklers or smoke detectors. The false ceilings were flammable and immediately burst into flames. One doctor said, “The whole system is broken.” He continued, “I’m a doctor, and I’m serious when I say that people should die in their homes instead of here. At least they’ll be… in one piece.”

The Prime Minister has announced an investigation and suspended the director general of eastern Baghdad’s health department as well as the facility’s director of engineering and maintenance. Medical staff at Ibn al-Khatib hospital expressed disgust saying that the fire could have easily occurred at any of the other government hospitals. “They all have the same ceilings, the same faulty electric wires. There’s no fire-escape plan, no fire extinguishers.”

Sources:

• Toll climbs to 82 in fire at Baghdad hospital treating coronavirus patients
• At least 82 killed in massive Baghdad hospital fire

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