these young people raised three main concerns over the health status in their respective countries the deteriorating health status among women the lack of awareness of health risks and differential health service provision between the public and private sectors annex table a in iraq the rate rose by around per population while in syria it surged almost fourfold in both cases the increases may be attributed to the continuing conflicts in the two countries in the other mashreq countries the rates fell notably in lebanon where the rate dropped in to almost one ninth the rate in