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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

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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
 
Iraq

MSF stops activities in Iraq

Project Update 4 Nov 2004
 
Iraq

Independent aid in Iraq virtually impossible

Project Update 22 Apr 2004
 
Iraq

Clinics in Sadr City, Iraq remain operational

Project Update 16 Apr 2004
 
Humanitarian principles

The gap between aid to Iraq and central Africa is driven by politics

In the Media 2 Apr 2004
 
Iraq

MSF statement on independent humanitarian aid in Iraq

Press Release 31 Oct 2003
 
Iraq

MSF response to attack on ICRC in Baghdad

Press Release 27 Oct 2003
 
Iraq

Security issues limiting MSF development in Iraq

Project Update 20 Aug 2003
 
Iraq

Attack on UN office in Baghdad: MSF shocked and saddened

Press Release 20 Aug 2003
 
Iraq

Basra team evacuated

Project Update 15 Aug 2003

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13 June 2018