BAGHDAD -

While citizens and specialists see the need for the government to work to restore the Iraqi medical immigrant minds and reform the health situation in the country;

The Ministry of Health announced its intention to bring in foreign medical cadres to meet the shortage of medical cadres and stop the continuous travel of Iraqis for treatment abroad.

At the doors of the doctors

In front of the doctors’ clinics in the Al-Harithiya area (center of the capital, Baghdad), Salam Hussein (53 years) stands grumbling, wondering about “the reasons why he had to spend more than 20 thousand dollars for treatment in India and return today to the doors of Iraqi doctors in order to complete it after his money ran out.”

Hussein expressed his "astonishment at the Ministry of Health's announcement to bring in foreign medical cadres instead of returning Iraqi doctors who immigrated outside the country."

He criticized "the health policies in the country, stressing that they have emptied the pockets of the citizen through travel, and led to the flight of Iraqi minds to work abroad."

Abdul Razzaq: There is nothing wrong with bringing in foreign cadres, provided that it is in accordance with a plan that can be used to rehabilitate local doctors (Al Jazeera Net)

wrong policies

Unofficial reports indicate that there are more than 70,000 Iraqi doctors abroad who emigrated at various times before and after the fall of the former regime in 2003, fearing for their lives after being persecuted and threatened.

In contrast, the value of what Iraqis spend on treatment outside the country is more than 6 million dollars annually, according to previous health reports.

This cost - in addition to compensating for the shortage of medical personnel - prompted the Ministry of Health to announce its intention to bring in medical teams from abroad instead of sending patients.

But specialists believe that bringing in foreign medical teams without regulating the medical reality in the country that caused the migration of Iraqi doctors will not succeed in addressing the problem from its roots.

The head of the Al-Ghad Al-Zahir Center for Studies and the former head of the dermatology department at Al-Karama Governmental Hospital, Ali Abdul Razzaq Mohi Al-Din, believes that the recruitment of foreign cadres is a problem, provided that it is in accordance with the plans and programs approved by the Ministry of Health to benefit Iraqi cadres.

He added that this step needs new organization and management, after the Ministry of Health's plans have so far failed to achieve the desired goals, indicating that new leaders must be in the medical work and in the ministry away from political blocs, and that the Ministry of Health should not be subject to any political orientation.

Al-Badr confirmed that the Ministry of Health has a strategic plan to restore the immigrant medical minds (Iraqi press)

serious drain

Iraqi doctors suffer from many problems that push some of them to emigrate if they have the opportunity, or to go on strike, as happened often as a result of threats, clan persecutions and the security situation;

This caused a significant shortage of medical teams, to the extent that the Ministry of Health itself described this matter as a “serious exhaustion.”

The Ministry of Health acknowledges that there is an emigration of specialized doctors and a severe shortage of medical teams in the country. The Ministry's spokesman, Dr. Saif Al-Badr, said, "The problems faced by medical personnel have caused a severe shortage in the Ministry, especially in specialized and accurate staff."

He added that before the outbreak of Corona, there was a shortage in the number of medical and health departments in general and specialists in particular, pointing out that one of the most important reasons for the migration of doctors is due to clan threats and the security threat to the doctor and his family.

Al-Badr affirmed that the ministry has a strategy to work on restoring immigrant medical minds, and appointing new graduates from Iraqi medical universities, but the approval of budgets and the appointment system stand in the way.

With regard to graduates, Al-Badr stressed the work to appoint all graduates, but there are financial obstacles, as the appointment is linked to the Federal Service Council and the approval of budgets, noting that there has been progress in medical and health services in the country in recent months.

Al-Zamili (right) affirmed the doctors' support and legal protection (Iraqi press)

Parliamentary moves

The Iraqi parliament announced its keenness to amend laws related to the protection of doctors in the coming days, and to support this segment to provide legal protection for them to prevent their emigration.

During the meeting, Al-Zamili expressed the Parliament’s keenness to amend the relevant laws, support the doctors’ segment and provide them with legal protection.” While the Doctors Syndicate confirmed the Syndicate’s registration of a decline in cases of assault on doctors, noting that the meeting held with Al-Zamili discussed two issues: the first is related to the protection of Doctors, the other support and care.

He added, "Al-Zamili is very enthusiastic about protecting doctors, and he has expressed all preparations for cooperation," noting that "assaults against doctors have decreased thanks to cooperation with security institutions."

He pointed out that the security forces are serious about protecting doctors, explaining that some of the attacks are mainly caused by a lack of understanding of the concept of "medical error," noting that "things are going in the right way and the citizen has become aware of how to take his right through complaint and not through threat."

Despite this decline in cases of attacks on doctors, the scenes of attacks on medical teams and clan prosecutions against them are still ongoing, according to doctors. It prompts specialists to raise questions about the recruitment of foreign expertise and the failure to stop the migration of local brains.