According to the medical journal the Lancet, more than 2,000 doctors have been killed in Iraq since 2003. Ever-present violence in the country affects everyone, but when patients die while under medical care, doctors face the added dangers of kidnapping, robbery, and revenge killings at the hands of bereaved families.The Iraqi government's fight against the Islamic State has diverted resources from the Ministry of Health to the war effort, and doctors say the country's medical facilities are inadequate for its growing population. The situation is prompting medical professionals to leave Iraq, making things even worse.In this excerpt, Farouq Ali, a pediatrician in Baghdad, explains some of the problems Iraqi doctors face, from budget cuts to becoming targets for revenge by bereaved families.Watch "A Dangerous Occupation: Doctors in Baghdad"Watch "Rearming Iraq: The New Arms Race"Read "15 Killed In Baghdad Hotel Bombings"
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One Doctor for 200 Emergency Patients (Excerpt from 'Doctors in Baghdad')
In this excerpt, Farouq Ali, a pediatrician in Baghdad, explains some of the problems Iraqi doctors face, from budget cuts to becoming targets for revenge by bereaved families.