Effects of World War II on Infectious Diseases in the Persian Gulf

With the allied invasion, the southern half of Iran became the scene of a large presence of British and American occupation forces. The negative consequences of the styling of foreign elements during all the years of war and even afterward affected these areas in various dimensions of their health. The negative consequences of the occupation of southern Iran, the health and healthcare system of this part of Iran suffered problems in various forms of shortage of medicines, equipment, and treatment staff, especially the spread of various infectious and communicable diseases. The article aims to examine the effects of World War II on the southern, southwestern, and eastern regions of Iran from 1939 to 1945 and its consequences in the spread of infectious diseases in these regions. The research with an analytical-historical method relies on the library method and is based on the study of the data of unpublished documents from the archives of the National Archives and Library Organization, medical and economic social publications, and various local and public newspapers of Iran during this period. The study of documents and publications shows that due to Allied restrictive policies and successive waves of famine and widespread malnutrition, epidemic diseases, and drug monopoly, these areas experienced a period of severe decline in public health and spread of various infectious diseases.