A team from the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to depart for Iraq. The purpose of the mission is to complete work on detailed proposals for studies on non-communicable diseases and congenital malformations and to draw up a schedule for implementation of the research. The studies’ aim will be to investigate claimed increases in these diseases in Iraq, and look into their potential link to environmental and other risk factors.

The mission will take place from 27-31 August 2001 in Baghdad.

WHO's eight-member team includes experts in cancer epidemiology and other noncommunicable diseases, congenital malformations, as well as occupational and environmental health. These staff members are based at WHO's Geneva headquarters and its Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo.

The noncommunicable diseases of interest for study are primarily cancer and renal disease.

The leader of the mission is Dr Abdelaziz Saleh, Deputy Regional Director at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO).

At a joint meeting of Iraqi scientists and WHO experts this past April, a framework for intensified technical and scientific cooperation was agreed. Further discussions took place between senior WHO staff and Iraqi representatives from the Ministry of Health during the 54^th World Health Assembly in May. A month later WHO was invited by Dr Zuhair S. Al-Azawi, the Senior Deputy Minister of Health, to visit Iraq.

In addition to other visits and contacts, WHO sent missions to Iraq in 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2001. These missions focused on strengthening the national cancer registry, examining cancer rates, including leukaemia, stepping up cancer control and activities to control other noncommunicable diseases.