Palestinian children in Iraq must leave for urgent medical care: UNHCR

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

GENEVA (AFP) - Palestinian children stranded in Iraq face the risk of death or lifelong complications if they are not immediately evacuated and receive urgent medical care, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said at least a dozen seriously-ill Palestinians require urgent treatment outside of the conflict-riven country, mainly young children stuck in Baghdad or a refugee camp on the Syrian border. The youngest is a 15-month-old baby.

UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond cited the case of a two-year-old with cerebral palsy who has very low immunity, is in urgent need of physical therapy and has stopped eating.

Another child, a 13-year-old girl suffering from a spinal injury, will be permanently paralysed from the neck down unless she gets treatment soon, he told journalists.

The girl's mother died a few years ago, her father was murdered in January and her home was burned by militia, Redmond added.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070629/wl_mideast_afp/unrefugeesiraqsyriaunrestpalestinians