Shafaq News– Nineveh
Resident and trainee doctors staged a strike across all hospitals in Nineveh province on Friday in protest against delays in appointing graduates from the 2024 medical cohort, as well as the failure to issue separation and professional distribution orders.
A source at Nineveh’s Health Directorate told Shafaq News that more than 1,000 resident doctors are participating in the strike, which includes a halt to work in outpatient clinics and non-emergency wards, while medical services remain limited to critical cases to safeguard patients and avoid endangering lives.
As part of a protest movement taking place in several Iraqi provinces, doctors are demanding the swift resolution of delayed appointments, the activation of the Doctors’ Protection Law, and the provision of a safe working environment, confirming that the strike will continue until these demands are met.
On January 8, dozens of doctors held a protest in Basra calling for the immediate appointment of 2024 medical graduates, following four days of sit-ins at hospitals.
The head of the Basra Doctors Syndicate, Wissam Al-Rudaini, told Shafaq News that “the government must adhere to clear timelines for appointing medical graduates, particularly concerning the medical training system,” which he described as the foundation of doctors’ professional careers.
Disruptions in the medical training cycle over the past period have caused significant strain on the healthcare system, Al-Rudaini noted, pointing out that doctors in Basra are often required to work up to 12 hours a day, while hospitals urgently need new staff to address shortages and ensure service continuity.
Iraq’s healthcare system is already under severe strain, with fewer than 1.4 doctors and about 1.3 hospital beds per 1,000 people—well below World Health Organization benchmarks—while bed occupancy in major hospitals often exceeds 90%, according to government data and health sector indicators.
Read more: Iraq’s healthcare system nears collapse: Doctors leave, hospitals overflow