Iraq Health Investment Summit concludes successfully in Istanbul

The summit welcomed representation from a high level official Iraq Ministry of Health delegation, led by Minister Hasnawi and featuring deputies, director generals, technical experts and members of parliament, as well as senior corporate executives from the global health community, the World Health Organisation and the USAID Tatweer Program.

Taking place in Istanbul, Turkey on 19-20 February, the summit outlined the MOH's recently unveiled four-year plan for development, a comprehensive programme of engagement designed to utilise the expertise of the commercial through increased engagement in key areas such as public health, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, planning and procurement strategies, new construction projects and training and human resources development.

Just under $4bn has been allocated from the Iraqi Government's budget to the MOH for this year alone, and with further momentum for the sector generated as a result of this crucial event this figure looks set to increase for next year and beyond.

The summit welcomed an unrivalled line-up of senior MOH officials, led by Minister Hasnawi and including deputies, director generals and decision makers from key directorates such as Public Health, Projects & Engineering Services, Planning & Resources, Reconstruction and KIMADIA, the State Drugs Marketing Company responsible for the procurement of all pharmaceutical and medical supplies.

Featuring key remarks from leading members of the official MOH delegation, including a keynote welcoming address from the Minister himself, the summit centred on the need for greater engagement between Iraq and the world's healthcare providers, serving as a forum for direct face-to-face consultation between leading companies and Iraqi policy makers. Minister Hasnawi placed particular emphasis on the necessity for ongoing investment from the business sector, with him and his team keen to meet with those investors committed to providing a wide variety of solutions and strategies for the Iraqi health system.

Discussions included assessments of purchasing strategies, progress updates on existing projects being undertaken, detailed studies on current healthcare needs and future predictions, and proposals for training programmes in order to equip Iraq with the medical workforce any thriving country needs to sustain the health of its people.

One of the key initiatives unveiled was a new Cooperative Internships Program, an ambitious project aimed squarely at embedding MOH employees into existing corporate structures, enabling the sustainable transfer of knowledge and skills across the healthcare spectrum and subsequent dissemination of warning processes and skills development into the MOH, aiding system reform and contributing to ongoing capacity development.

Following on from this success, and in light of the future investment promised over the course of the next four years and beyond, this summit represents the first of what is expected to be a series of key events for the Iraqi health sector, as Iraq looks to return to its rightful position as a healthcare leader in the Middle East region.