Sulaymaniyah, considered as the capital of health services in the Kurdistan Region and indeed in Iraq, is currently confronting a severe crisis. This crisis has raised concerns over the continuity of medical services, particularly surgeries, in government hospitals.

Health Director Issues Warning: Shortages Are Severe and Impactful
The warning came from Dr. Sabah Hawrami, Director General of Health in Sulaymaniyah, who stated, "For the year 2025, 27 billion dinars have been allocated for the purchase of medicines, medical necessities, and equipment, but due to shortages, pharmaceutical companies are unable to supply medical necessities."

Dr. Hawrami further explained, "The lack of allocated funds affects the provision of 60% of healthcare services. If this funding is not disbursed, a major health crisis will occur, and health services in Sulaymaniyah, including surgeries, will be significantly disrupted."

Status of Sulaymaniyah’s Government Hospitals
Sulaymaniyah has 12 government hospitals, 19 health centers, and 56 clinics. The largest is the Shar Hospital, which last month recorded over 27,000 patient visits and conducted 910 surgeries.

Omid Hedayat, Deputy Director of the Shar Hospital, told Channel8, "The hospital operates daily to meet medical needs, and sometimes we have to rely on our own resources to provide necessary services."

He also warned that health services in the City Hospital are facing a major problem, saying, "Surgery is only possible if the patients pay out-of-pocket; fees can reach three to four million dinars per surgery."

Health Ministry Efforts and Budget Challenges
Sulaymaniyah’s health problems are not new and have been ongoing for years. Last March, the Health Director of Sulaymaniyah reported that the annual need for the health sector was 150 billion dinars, but much less than that amount is actually allocated.

At the first conference of nurses and healthcare staff in Sulaymaniyah, Saman Barzanji, Minister of Health for the Kurdistan Regional Government, stated that he had discussed Sulaymaniyah’s funding shortages with the KRG Minister of Finance and Economy and called for an urgent solution independent of other issues.

The Minister also noted that the remaining 20 billion dinars would be returned to the government treasury for the next year, which could negatively impact Sulaymaniyah’s health budget for the upcoming year.