Iraq's Oil Money Not Buying Health Care

(CBS)  In the five short minutes it takes Dr. Haider Rashid to examine a patient, Iraq will have pumped more than a million dollars worth of oil - more than $300 million worth every day, CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reports.

But you wouldn't know it looking at the dingy emergency room of the Kahdimiyah Hospital.

U.S. Army doctors say it's one of the best in the city - yet it lacks the most basic supplies.

"I am talking about IV fluids - I'm talking about strong antibiotics," one doctor said in English.

Anaesthetic is also lacking. One man had his foot stitched up with nothing to kill the pain but his son's embrace.

"How do you reconcile the fact that we know that Iraq has many billions of dollars of oil money waiting to be spent?" Palmer asked.

"I don't know how to answer that," the doctor said. "I don't know."

Bassim Sharif does. He's a Member of Parliament on the Health Oversight Committee.

"There is a corruption in Iraq and the corruption is widespread," he said.

But corruption is only part of the problem. Political in-fighting also is squeezing Iraq's health budget -- so much that only $68 was available per person.

Compare that to, for example, $650 per person in Mexico and $2,547 in the United States.

"We used up our whole drugs budget in the first six months of this year," Bassim said.

In Khadimiyah Hospital, a young girl is rushed in - wounded in a mortar attack.

But security has improved so much that war trauma patients like this are now the exception.

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Blog: How lacking Baghdad hospital care touched a CBS News producer

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But the beds are still full, and medical staff who thought better security would let them deliver better care are bitter.

"I am so hurt that my patients are suffering and can't do anything for them for lack of simple things that are available in every country in the world," one doctor said.

Simple, critical things doctors know Iraq's oil money could so easily buy.

[lochlan-2009]

Where were all these people when he got "elected" a second time? Where was all this common sense when you had an opportunity to PREVENT this *** from happening. I am Canadian and have been steadily loosing faith in my southern neighbors since I learned to read. For a country which goes on and on about freedom, most Canadians are shocked at how little freedom you guys actually seem to have. I wish things werent like this, America should be setting an example for the rest of the world. Its really a shame.

Posted by MrKuren

When you saw the numbers come up that Kerry "lost" by a few thousand votes. The intelligent people were the ones who put him within that close distance. Unfortunately, I guess their are more morons in this country then educated voters. The Bush Regime also have one HELL of a propaganda machine going on not only here in the U.S. but around the world.

Personally, my wife and I were in Britain (looking to flee the ignorance) during the 2004 election. We voted with an absentee ballet just to make sure there were two more votes against this crime ring. Then we flew over and got to hear how stupid and hypocritical the rest of the world REALLy thinks America is.

[ramos937]

During a recent hearing, Senator Leahy asked an Iraq general why the maliki government did not provide decent conditions for the Iraq people out of the billions of oil money. The blunt reply was, "why should we, as long as you are willing to do it". That was the final nail. Let''s get out regardless of what someone else thinks.

[mrkuren]

Why is it that there are intelligent people in the States (millions of them) who disagree with the current administration, and complain non-stop about W''s war machine. Where were all these people when he got "elected" a second time? Where was all this common sense when you had an opportunity to PREVENT this *** from happening. I am Canadian and have been steadily loosing faith in my southern neighbors since I learned to read. For a country which goes on and on about freedom, most Canadians are shocked at how little freedom you guys actually seem to have. I wish things werent like this, America should be setting an example for the rest of the world. Its really a shame.

[rwassel]

"America has not been attacked since we became proactive in the war on terror."

Posted by cbville70 at 11:56 PM : Jul 08, 2008

We were also not attacked from 1994-2001. So you would agree, then, that Bill Clinton a great job as well? Last time I checked 9-11 happened on GWB''s watch.

[rwassel]

America has not been attacked since we became proactive in the war on terror.

Posted by cbville70 at 11:56 PM : Jul 08, 2008

No, we''ve just had our economy crippled. Were you living in a cave when the terrorists said they would not attack us physically, but instead attack us where it matters most - by waging war on our economy? I''d say, with almost a trillion dollars being flushed down the toilet in Iraq by our president, and our country in the depths of recession, they''re winning that one, sport.

[rwassel]

"Otherwise (as you have all demonstrated with your nonstop a$$inine posts) people will know you lack intelligence."

Posted by cbville70

Yes, because YOUR post with name-calling was sooooo profound. Thanks for the brilliant insights, Professor.

[xmanborg]

Also do not award any contracts to HALLIBURTON or any company that is in bed with the current administration.

[xmanborg]

I saw this last night on CBS and its Pathetic. One WEEKS oil supply and IRAQ could have 7 state of the art hosipitals spread across the entire country. 300 million dollars per hosipital sounds like a great investment for the future. Somebody has to sell these New Hosipitals new X-ray, Cat-Scan and other high dollar stuff. What a great source of revenue for some US companys.

Dont let the Bush Administration be involved in any aspect of this because they will over charge and mis-manage the entire process. The Bush Administration are PROs at doing this.

[docpeter-2009]

Posted by navpro at 08:35 AM : Jul 09, 2008, "So what is Iraqs oil paying for????"
________________
The Bush, Cheney, Scooter, Rove retirement plan. These guys really planned ahead because they knew they would be out of office some day.

[singingrick]

demslie2u


Do you have any specific problems with the information presented in this story? If so, what? Do you dispute the facts? Which ones?