At a Glance

• A 21-year-old woman named Sara died during a surgical procedure to remove an abdominal fluid cyst at a private hospital in Erbil.
• The Ministry of Health ordered the immediate closure of the facility following investigations into severe regulatory violations.
• Investigators found that the operating surgeon lacked a valid work permit for the facility and was not registered on the ministry's approved staffing list.
• The hospital administration and medical team reportedly used unofficial entry doors to perform the surgery despite the facility's operating rooms having been officially shut down by the ministry in June.

In an official statement, the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Health announced stringent legal and administrative penalties following the tragic death of a young patient due to unauthorized medical procedures conducted in a closed facility.

Key Statements and Focus Area

• Family Demands Justice: Relatives of the victim filed formal complaints urging a thorough, transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death during the cyst removal procedure.
• Regulatory Violations: The ministry revealed that the hospital lacked a designated intensive care unit and emergency department, rendering it unequipped for emergency surgical interventions.
• Illegal Access: Hospital management, along with the operating and anesthesia doctors, bypassed official administrative bans by utilizing unauthorized back entrances to conduct the operation.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the hospital remains shut down indefinitely, with all involved administrative personnel and medical practitioners referred to the judiciary for criminal negligence and regulatory non-compliance.

FYI

Private healthcare facilities in the Kurdistan Region are subject to strict licensing oversight by the Ministry of Health, which mandates regular inspections of surgical theatres, staffing credentials, and emergency response capabilities to ensure patient safety.