Iraq: COVID-19 in Baghdad is “very alarming”
The COVID-19 emergency in Iraq continues to escalate, with the country reporting close to 4,000 new cases a day and approximately 500 deaths a week. In the past month, more than 100,000 cases have been detected in the country, and on September 23, 5,055 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed, representing the highest daily rate in the country since the beginning of the pandemic. Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, is the worst-hit city, with almost 30 percent of the country’s reported cases.
We’re trying to do our best to support the efforts of Iraqi health authorities in tackling the virus, even though our capacity is limited. Even with the high number of patients we see at the moment, we are not sure where we are on the epidemiological curve. From what we can see, the situation is deeply worrying. SEMA US teams are assisting in the Respiratory Care Unit (RCU) in primary health facilities, providing training for staff, administration of medication, and implementation of techniques adapted for the treatment of COVID-19.
By the time we have a free bed, patients are already in really bad shape.
Despite efforts to control the spread of the virus, the growing number of severe and critical cases has recently overwhelmed health facilities treating people with COVID-19.
Many patients stay in the RCU for 15 to 20 days to be treated, meaning that sometimes new patients are put on the waiting list for two, maybe three days, until they can get the treatment they need. By the time we have a free bed, patients are in really bad shape. It is really distressing to watch these people wait for a bed.
The waiting lists and lack of bed capacity are not the only issues in Baghdad. Some people are waiting to come to the health facility when it’s almost too late to seek treatment. Some people in the city do not appreciate the gravity of the situation, and they are not taking prevention measures.
These people seem to be avoiding treatment due to the heavy social stigma associated with COVID-19 in the community. We think many people sometimes only realize how bad the situation is when they or a loved one is brought to the health facility. They see patients dying, very quickly, every day. Then they realize the reality of the situation.
Iraqi health workers have also been very badly affected, with almost 15,000 cases among this group since the start of the outbreak. This risk to health care workers comes at a time when hospitals in Baghdad are dealing with human resource shortages, further complicating an already critical situation.
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