At an Iraq hospital, more than 90 people died in a fire at a COVID-19 isolation unit in the city of Nasiriya. The fire coincided with angry protestors outside of the hospital. Many people in the group had lost family members to the virus because of how the nation has handled COVID-19.
COVID-19 is still causing trouble in other parts of the world. The International Olympic Committee recently announced that no fans would be at the games because of a COVID-19 surge in Japan. Outbreaks like this are occurring every day in countries throughout the Middle East.
Details of the Iraq Hospital Fire
It was originally believed that the protestors outside of the COVID-19 ward started the fire on Tuesday. However, health officials stated that the blaze was started after the situation was investigated because oxygen tanks exploded in an intensive care unit. The fire, which caused the hospital to spark up in flames, has been extinguished.
The hospital where the COVID-19 ward was located was Al-Hussein Hospital. It was set up as a satellite facility at the beginning of the pandemic to treat coronavirus patients. There are also numerous quarantines stations on the property where people could stay to keep away from the community.
The site was grim before the fire, and the blaze has made the site worse. In addition to the pronounced dead people on the scene, there were also over 50 others injured. Many of these people are in critical condition and will likely pass.
Iraqi President Barham Salhi said the mismanagement at the facility was the reason that the explosion occurred. He said that officials at the hospital need to be held accountable. Countless workers paid the ultimate price because they were killed in the fire, but Salhi is looking to penalize people who survived that were responsible.
Salhi took to Twitter to give his opinion and offer his condolences to the victims.
He wrote, “The catastrophe of Al-Hussein Hospital in Dhi Qar, and before that, Ibn Al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad is the result of persistent corruption and mismanagement that underestimated the lives of Iraqis and prevented reforming the performance of institutions. A strict review of the performance of institutions and the protection of citizens is necessary.”
Following the fire, Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi announced that the health director in the hospital’s province would be fired and detained for further questioning. The director of the Al-Hussein Hospital and the director of civil defense in the province was also fired and jailed for the fire.
There will be an intense investigation by the government to find the facts. The prime minister believes that the health system has failed the citizens of Iraq, and something needs to be done to find a solution.
If a resolution is not determined, riots will continue to multiply in the country. There is a lot of unemployment, government corruption, and a lack of services sweeping the nation.
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