Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Free eNewsletter
    • eNewsletter SignUp
    • View past eNewsletters
  • Toggle search form
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin Civil Rights
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race American Arabs
  • Paul Vallas addressing the Arab American Democratic Club on Feb. 12, 2023
    AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections American Arabs
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon American Arabs
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land American Arabs
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers Culture
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Activism
  • Shadin Maali has been named Emgage’s new Senior Director of Growth and Operations
    Emgage hires former Illinois Congressional aide to help expand their reach Activism
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
American antiwar protestors against a US war against Iran and Iraqi organized by Code Pink. Photo courtesy of CodePink

Iraq: Displaced people extremely vulnerable to COVID-19

Posted on July 13, 2020July 13, 2020 By rayhanania No Comments on Iraq: Displaced people extremely vulnerable to COVID-19
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Loading

Iraq: Displaced people extremely vulnerable to COVID-19

Two years since the end of the war with the Islamic State group, more than 1.3 million people in Iraq are still displaced from their homes and are now extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 due to overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned today.                                                                                                                                

“Internally displaced people in Iraq have been suffering for years, living in precarious and often cramped formal and informal camps,” said Gul Badshah, MSF head of mission in Iraq. “There have been the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in a few internal displacement camps in Iraq, including where MSF works in Laylan camp near Kirkuk. While there have not been more confirmed cases for now, we are still worried about the impact COVID-19 will have on the most vulnerable people inside the camps, especially given the difficulty for people to take self-protective measures.”

Ziyad Taste of the Middle East

MSF is responding to the emergence of a COVID-19 case in Laylan camp by setting up a 20-bed isolation and treatment facility. MSF is also implementing triage for COVID-19 at MSF’s clinic in Laylan and raising awareness about prevention measures. However, due to the cramped and unhygienic conditions in the camps, it is almost impossible for people to take measures such as physical distancing and the isolation of suspect cases.

American antiwar protestors against a US war against Iran and Iraqi organized by Code Pink. Photo courtesy of CodePink
American antiwar protestors against a US war against Iran and Iraqi organized by Code Pink. Photo courtesy of CodePink

“In the camps where MSF provides medical care, families are congested inside single tents and have scarce access to adequate hygiene facilities,” said Tetyana Pylypenko, MSF medical coordinator in Iraq. “Mixing with other camp residents is an unavoidable daily task, and without enough aid, people have no choice but to go out and seek any work to support their families, despite knowing the increased risk of infection.”

In Laylan camp in Kirkuk governorate, MSF provides care for patients with noncommunicable diseases, mental health consultations and sexual and reproductive health care services. People with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart and kidney diseases are particularly vulnerable to the virus and need continuous care, or they risk life-threatening consequences.

“It’s critical that people in the camps have access to care for COVID-19 and to regular health services,” added Badshah.  “For MSF to continue to work across the country and adequately respond to the health needs, access and movement have to remain open.”

In April, MSF started to support Iraqi health authorities in tackling COVID-19, shifting activities in its center for postoperative care in Mosul to isolate and treat people with COVID-19, and supporting the main facility for referral of COVID-19 patients in the region. In Baghdad, MSF has started supporting specialized intensive care, as well as infection prevention and control inside one of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 treatment hospitals. MSF has also supported local health facilities in Erbil and Baghdad by providing technical and logistical support and staff training on infection prevention and control, while maintaining most of MSF’s regular medical projects across the country.

MSF has been working in Iraq since 1991. With more than 1,500 staff in the country, MSF provides free, high-quality health care to people regardless of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

MSF delivers primary and secondary health care, services for expectant and new mothers, treatment for chronic diseases, surgery and rehabilitation for war-wounded patients, mental health support and health education activities. MSF currently works in the governorates of Baghdad, Nineveh, Diyala and Kirkuk. MSF has also supported local health facilities in the southern provinces of Najaf and Dhi Qar in recent months with preparedness for mass casualty incidents. In 2019, MSF provided more than 45,000 consultations for patients across Iraq for chronic diseases, as well as more than 34,000 consultations for maternal and reproductive health.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues - March 18, 2023
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC - March 13, 2023
  • Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan - February 22, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, coronavirus, Iraq, News Tags:Coronavirus, COVID-19, Doctors without Borders, Iraq, medical care, pandemic, refugees

Post navigation

Previous Post: Activists urge Iran to suspend death sentences on November protestors
Next Post: Arab Americans play major role in Illinois U.S. Census drive

Related Posts

  • Arab American Institute President Jim Zogby addresses the Arab American Democratic Club brunch March 19, 2017. Photo courtesy of Steve Neuhaus
    Zogby named to Democratic Unity Commission American Arabs
  • Are anti-Muslim, anti-Arab stereotypes driving views on Paris terrorism American Arabs
  • Rafic Hariri statue in front of the St. George Hotel in Beirut Lebanon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    Lebanon’s crisis calls for radical local reforms and a revised US Mideast policy Arab World
  • Rally in Algiers, March 15. Courtesy L'EL-Biaroise Houra
    Algerian Islamists: From Political Reality to Dialectical Crisis Identity  Abdennour Toumi
  • What Governor Rick Scott Needs to Know About Senators Nelson, Rubio and the USS Liberty Arab World
  • UAE names 83 terrorist groups including two from US American Arabs

More Related Articles

I Heart Halal bazaar 2018 I Heart Halal plans expanded program at Navy Pier April 12-14 Christian & Muslim
Controversy of Islamist Politics on Other Belief Systems Arab World
Arab-Palestinian company shows gains Arab World
Memorializing USS Liberty Love Story at FilmFreeway in Honor of Memorial Day 2019 Arab World
Rabbi Hoffman’s ‘Mordechai Vanunu: Nuclear Whistleblower, Traitor, Apostate’ and The TRUTH American Arabs
The main altar of St. George Church in Burqin, Palestine near Jenin. Photo courtesy of Dr. Maria Khoury. A visit to Saint George Church in Burqin Arab World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • راى حنانيا. Ray Hanania
    Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
    March 18, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    Two parallel uprisings in Israel
    March 11, 2023
  • Racist anti-Arab Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot poses with Edwards Realty President Ramzi Hassan posted on Facebook on posted June 3, 2022 right after the second press conference demanding that Lightfoot end her discrimination.
    Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan
    February 22, 2023
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • 300x300-ZIYAD02.jpg
  • 300x300-RAMADAN02.jpg
  • 300x300-ZIYAD01.jpg
  • 300x300-RAMADAN01.jpg
  • NEWS
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin
    March 19, 2023
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race
    March 17, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon
    February 22, 2023
  • Paul Vallas addressing the Arab American Democratic Club on Feb. 12, 2023
    AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections
    February 21, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118
    February 9, 2023
  • Shadin Maali has been named Emgage’s new Senior Director of Growth and Operations
    Emgage hires former Illinois Congressional aide to help expand their reach
    February 8, 2023
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

First Installment of the Property Tax

POPULAR POSTS

  • Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan By Ray Hanania Illinois Review, one of the conservative movement's most respected ... posted on February 22, 2023
  • Two parallel uprisings in Israel Two parallel uprisings in Israel By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz Israel is currently shaken by two parallel revolts. In what seems ... posted on March 11, 2023
  • Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz In his recent ... posted on February 18, 2023
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Currently living in Orland Park with her supportive husband and ... posted on February 9, 2023
  • Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers Appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers Ziyad Brothers, a leading omni-channel provider of branded Middle Eastern and ... posted on February 16, 2023
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC In an effort to keep dialogue with government agencies, AHRC held a Meet ... posted on March 13, 2023

Recent Posts

  • International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin
  • Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
  • Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC
  • Two parallel uprisings in Israel
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land
    February 18, 2023
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme