BAGHDAD, IRAQ – The World Health Organization (WHO) affirmed it is likely to support Iraq in the localization of its pharmaceutical industry, local media reports say.
WHO official Ahmed Zueiten, said, “I spoke with Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani about the partnership between Iraq and global health.”
He said, “The organization has a plan with the Ministry of Health for seven years to advance the health reality.”
He added, “We are working on updating some laws related to the health sector, and the organization has felt an effective and strong partnership with the Iraqi government.”
He pointed out that “coronavirus testing laboratories have increased from one laboratory to more than 70 laboratories,” explaining that “the organization has sensed an improvement in the Iraqi health sector.”
Zueiten said, “We are in the process of digitizing all data in the health sector,” stressing that “Iraq is on its way to achieving health security.”
He indicated that “Iraq has a deficit in the numbers of medical staff, and in return, the numbers of dentists and pharmacists exceed what Iraq needs.”
Zueiten said, “80 percent of the citizen’s needs lie in health centers, as Iraq includes 6,000 health centers,” reports said.
He said that “the international standard provides for one health center for every 50,000 people, while the same standard stipulates one hospital for every 250,000 people.”
Regarding the number of deaths due to childbirth, he stressed that “the neonatal mortality rate decreased, in addition to that Iraq recorded a sharp decrease in maternal deaths during childbirth.”
Regarding cancerous injuries, Zueiten said that “the number of recorded cancerous injuries is not accurate,” stressing that “the Warith Foundation in Karbala adopts international standards, and we hope to repeat their experience throughout Iraq.”