About
Country Context
The Republic of Iraq, located in the Middle East, has a total population of 43 million. The Federal Republic is divided into 18 governorates, each consisting of a number of districts, sub-districts, and villages, and recognizes one autonomous region (Kurdistan). Having faced significant turmoil over the past decades that created a complex socio-political landscape shaped by conflict, political instability, and economic challenges, the country is now at a pivotal point in its development history, with numerous challenges and opportunities ahead.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) oversees the public health care system, which has shifted towards the provision of essential services through a network of primary health care centers (PHCCs), each serving a population of about 10,000 to 45,000 individuals. Many of the services provided are curative, though fragmented intergovernmental coordination and budgetary constraints hinder systematic progress. The country further grapples with a shortage of qualified health workers and medical supplies, inefficiencies, and poorly maintained health facilities, which impede access to universal quality health care.
As Iraq transitions from an emergency to a development setting, the government, in collaboration with international organizations, is seeking ways to rebuild and improve health care services for the population as a whole.
Overview of Community Health
An overarching community health policy or strategy at the national level is lacking, and community health workers (CHWs) are not part of the formal national health workforce in the country. Vertical programs and initiatives on community health are carried out by international institutions and NGOs, especially in (former) camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) or refugees. CHWs are recruited in the context of these programs but are not officially linked to the national health system.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) employs male and female health promoters who primarily operate at the Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) level. While they are not based in communities, they do conduct scattered community outreach on an ad hoc basis.