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http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/cf/Qiraq-un-germany.RP_X_DJL.html German activists blast "shocking" situation in Iraq due to UN embargo BAGHDAD, Jan 21 (AFP) - German peace activists ended a six-day visit to Iraq on Tuesday denouncing the "shocking and catastrophic" medical and health care situation in the country due to 12 years of crippling international sanctions. Nine activists from the "German initiative against war and sanctions on Iraq" headed home after touring medical institutions in Baghdad and the main southern city of Basra as well as meeting international non-governmental organisations and Iraqi clerics. "Our visits at the Al-Mansur hospital in Baghdad and the mother-child hospital in Basra were shocking," said delegation representative Bernd Klagge, a mathematician, during a press conference. "The physicians described the catastrophic situation of their medical institution," he said. Klagge cited the case of a six-year-old girl suffering from leukemia who had to interrupt her treatment due to lack of appropriate medicines. "The import of these drugs is slowed down and often completely prevented by the UN sanctions committee: that means the death of the sick children," he said. He also reported that cases of the "kala azar" tropical disease often occur in southern Iraq, but could not be treated due to the same reasons. "The disease can be healed in every case with the suitable drugs, but leads in every case to death without the drugs. The drug costs about 15 dollars per child. the import of the necessary pentostam is forbidden by the UN sanctions, " he said. Iraq's imports are tightly controlled under the UN oil-for-food programme, which allows Baghdad to exchange oil for essential humanitarian goods. _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk