Dr. Sabah Hawrami, General Director of Sulaimani Health, revealed that “the necessary budget is not available to fill the shortages and make reforms in the health sector. However, some diseases, such as the rate of thalassemia infections in Sulaimani province, have dropped to zero.”

In a seminar titled “The Health Sector Between Challenges and Development Opportunities”, held on Saturday, July 19, 2025, by Vision Organization for Strategic Research, Dr. Sabah Hawrami presented various statistics and data related to the health sector.

In the seminar, attended by a group of experts, specialists, and relevant stakeholders, Dr. Hawrami stated, “Drug substances have spread among abusers, which placed more burden on the health sector. For that reason, a special plan and program should be integrated into the education system and schools.”

The General Director of Sulaimani Health also pointed out, “Financially, the health sector is facing a severe crisis due to the lack of development budgets after the ISIS war. The available funds are only for operational purposes, which are spent gradually and are insufficient. All this shows that we do not have the necessary budget to advance the health sector, but good work has still been done.”

Despite the financial crisis, Dr. Hawrami spoke about progress and said, “Sulaimani should become a pioneer in digitizing and electronic transformation of the health sector. Soon, major steps will be taken to make Sulaimani a hub for medical tourism.”

As part of the Open Eye project, Vision Organization is inviting senior government officials to collect and present data across various sectors, aiming to promote transparency and enhance public participation.