MADRID -- Director of the nongovernmental Spanish Organization of Physicians Without Frontier Dr. Ricardo Angora, who arrived here on Wednesday from Baghdad, declared on Thursday the catastrophic situation of hospitals in Iraq.

He told IRNA that hospitals in Baghdad are in dire need of facilities and special materials.

The Spanish surgeon added that given the sanctions imposed on Iraq in recent years, treatment centers in the country have been deprived from renovation.

"For instance, the bed on which I handled operations were so worn-out that they were likely to collapse any moment," he added.

Having stayed in Baghdad for two weeks, Angora noted that the common basic medicine is available in Iraq, while special materials are either scarce or very expensive.

The physician reiterated that such shortages pertain to Baghdad and that other Iraqi cities and villages are definitely in a worse situation.

"Almost all patients I had to operate on were the civilians wounded in the air and missile raids of the foreign troops.

"Given that the injuries of most patients were infectious, they cannot simply be treated by common antibiotics and special medicine should be rushed to take care of their infections," he added.

The Spanish surgeon said that the organization is currently represented in Iraq by a five-member specialists group on a three-month mission.

According to him, three tons of health and treatment facilities and materials have recently been collected and dispatched to Iraq by the Spanish organization.

Referring to the good infrastructure and experts of Iraqi health system, he said that it cannot be renovated so easily.

Angora underlined that he enjoyed the cooperation of Iraqi medical specialists during his mission to Iraq.

"Despite being unpaid, the medical staff in Iraqi hospitals make great efforts to provide the people with medical services," he added.

Responding to a question on the role of the occupation forces in provision of health care, he said that he has not observed any such case.

He strongly condemned the killing of Iraqi ralliers by the American forces in the city of Fallujah.

Referring to the inconsistency between the truth and the image given in the West, he said that the Iraqis who are tired of clashes are seeking tranquility to get back to normal life.