United Nations Radio

Water, food and medical supplies for hospitals are desperately needed in the Iraqi city of Basra where the recent fighting has led to disruption of electricity and water supply.

Yet, the humanitarian organizations are not able to deliver much needed help to the city that has become a war zone. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration and the International Committee of the Red Cross are seriously concerned about the humanitarian situation not only in Basra, but also in Sadr City in Baghdad. Carla Haddad from the Red Cross says the biggest problem for the humanitarian workers is lack of access to the people of Basra, who find themselves in a desperate situation.

"We know from our staff there that the population was not expecting this. So they didn't make any food stock, so there are food shortages in their homes, shops are closed, they cannot move around. There is also the issue of the access to medical care. They can't go to hospitals, and we also heard reports of medical transport and ambulances being targeted and attacked."

UNICEF estimates that people in Basra have only a two-day supply of potable water left, yet the agency is not able to deliver 39 million purification tablets and 40,000 doses of oral hydration salts ready for distribution. The humanitarian agencies call on all sides to ensure humanitarian access to the people in need.