Red Cross: Iraqis lack basic services 5 years after invasion

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Five years after the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein many Iraqis still lack access to basic health care, sanitation and clean water, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday. The humanitarian situation in Iraq is among the most critical in the world, the Red Cross said, noting that the current conflict has worsened the impact of previous wars and years of international sanctions that caused severe hardship in the country. Iraqi hospitals lack qualified staff and basic drugs, and facilities are not properly maintained, the Red Cross said.