In Iraq, at least 52 patients were killed in a fire that ravaged the Covid unit of a hospital in Nassiriya, in the south of the country. 22 people were also injured.
According to a source from the region’s health department, the fire was caused by the explosion of oxygen cylinders.
This scenario would be the same as that of the tragedy that killed more than 80 people in a Baghdad hospital two months ago.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said on Facebook that the fire started from temporary structures erected near the establishment, but did not specify the origin of the incident.
The tragedy immediately provoked angry reactions in Nassiriya, where hundreds of people gathered in front of the hospital shouting: “the political parties are burning us!”.
“The Al-Hussein hospital disaster is clear proof of (the failure) to protect the lives of Iraqis and it is time to end this catastrophic failure.”, tweeted Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halboussi, indicating that MPs would take up the matter on Tuesday.
For Baghdad, the Minister of Health had resigned
The tragedy in Baghdad last April was caused by a series of negligence which had already aroused the anger of the Iraqis and led to the resignation of the Minister of Health.
The oxygen bottles had been stored without respecting safety conditions and their explosion had caused a fire which had devoured for hours non-fireproof false ceilings of the hospital.
Most Iraqi hospitals are dormant and the health system has been dilapidated for years, plagued by economic hardship and corruption.
On Monday, a fire also broke out at the Ministry of Health in Baghdad and was quickly brought under control, without causing any casualties.
Iraq has more than 1.4 million people infected with the coronavirus and the epidemic has claimed more than 17,000 lives.
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