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The effects of years of conflict and instability continue to be felt in Iraq. Despite the resumption of services in some health facilities, the country’s public health system is still far from making a full recovery.

While over 4.8 million people have managed to return home, around 1.1 million people remain displaced across 18 governorates*. Both returnees and those still displaced struggle to access basic services and job opportunities. 

The healthcare system is unable to fulfil the needs of people, which is exacerbated by the shortages of specialist healthcare workers and drugs.

Our teams in Iraq continue to bridge the most pressing gaps in access to healthcare in four governorates. We provide general, maternal, neonatal, and mental healthcare, in addition to surgical procedures, post-operative care and rehabilitation, treatment for non-communicable diseases and emergency medical care.

*http://iraqdtm.iom.int/ - IOM

Why are we here?

Our activities in 2022 in Iraq

Data and information from the International Activity Report 2022.

MSF in Iraq in 2022 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continued to work across Iraq in 2022, filling gaps in healthcare exacerbated by war and conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iraq IAR map 2022

After years of conflict and instability, Iraq has started to see some signs of recovery, but its healthcare system is still far from being able to fulfil all the medical needs of people, especially in areas directly affected by the most recent war with the Islamic State group.

In 2022, MSF worked in 10 projects across Baghdad, Ninewa, Kirkuk, Erbil and Dhi Qar. We offered a wide range of general and specialist medical services and support to people living in areas affected by the war, returnees from long periods of displacement in camps or other regions of the country, and communities with poor access to healthcare. Services included emergency, maternal and neonatal care, specialist orthopaedic and maternity surgery, comprehensive post-operative rehabilitation and care, treatment for non-communicable diseases, and mental health support. We also provided medical supplies, technical training, and support for emergency preparedness and response in several health facilities across the country.

Patients requiring advanced surgical care were referred to MSF’s reconstructive surgery programme in Amman, Jordan, which has been conducting orthopaedic, plastic and maxillofacial surgery for patients from Iraq and other countries in the Middle East since 2006.

In Baghdad, we continued to collaborate with the National Tuberculosis Institute, working on switching drug-resistant TB patients from injections to newer, more effective oral drugs.

Our teams also assisted the Iraqi health authorities with the response to COVID-19. We provided intensive care treatment, patient isolation (for mild and moderate cases), and health promotion campaigns to encourage vaccination. In all our regular activities, we implemented strict infection prevention and control measures to protect patients and staff from catching or spreading COVID-19.

 

In 2022
 
MSF cares for wounded protesters in Baghdad
Iraq

Mending broken lives: treating wounded protesters in Baghdad

Project Update 10 Jan 2020
 
MSF Aden trauma hospital
Antibiotic resistance

Why bacteria love war-wounds

Project Update 18 Nov 2019
 
Khanaqin, Diyala Governorat, Iraq
Iraq

For displaced people in Iraq, going home seems impossible

Project Update 7 Nov 2019
 
Iraq - Newly arrived refugees from NE Syria
Iraq

Mental health issues emerge amongst people fleeing northeast Syria

Project Update 28 Oct 2019
 
Bardarash refugee camp
Iraq

MSF providing medical care in Iraq to people fleeing northeast Syria

Statement 21 Oct 2019
 
Mental Health testimonies
Mental health

The Yazidi - a community without hope

exposure.co 9 Oct 2019
 
Mental Health testimonies
Iraq

MSF warns of mental health crisis among Yazidis in Iraq

Press Release 4 Oct 2019
 
IRAQ - maternal health activities in Mosul - August 2019
Iraq

Mosul's expectant mothers just can't wait

Project Update 11 Sep 2019
 
Bushra
Iraq

Supporting people in Qayyarah

Project Update 12 Jul 2019

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13 June 2018