People inspect the damage after an airstrike in the rebel held Douma neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria August 22, 2016. REUTERS/Bassam KhabiehLONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The Arab Spring uprising and subsequent conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa have lowered life expectancy in countries such as Syria, Yemen, Tunisia and Egypt, jeopardizing two decades of health gains, experts said on Wednesday. "Life expectancy decline is traditionally regarded as a sign that the health and social systems are failing," said Ali Mokdad, a professor at the U.S.-based University of Washington, who led the research. "These issues will result in deteriorating health conditions in many countries for many years and will put a strain on already scarce resources." ; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women’s rights, corruption and climate change.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 24, 2016 22:30 UTC