With life-saving programs, specialized clinics and global partnerships, KSC leads the charge in delivering equitable healthcare to vulnerable children across Iraq.
KSC – Press Release
7 April 2025
Slemani – On the occasion of World Health Day, Kurdistan Save the Children (KSC) proudly underscores its ongoing efforts to ensure the health and well-being of children across the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq through its comprehensive and inclusive Health Program. Rooted in the fundamental belief that every child has the right to a healthy life, KSC remains at the forefront of delivering life-saving healthcare to the most vulnerable.
KSC’s Health Program is designed to provide equitable access to critical medical services for children, particularly those battling severe illnesses and living in economically disadvantaged circumstances. Through strategic collaboration with local health institutions and international partners, KSC offers a broad spectrum of health interventions—from emergency care and specialized surgeries to preventative health education and community outreach.
The program plays a key role in bridging gaps within the public healthcare system by supplying essential medications, advanced medical equipment, and highly trained personnel to hospitals and medical centers across the region.
One of its most impactful initiatives is the operation of a fully equipped Neonatal Unit at the Slemani Children’s and Maternity Hospital. Serving over 650 newborns each month, this unit provides free-of-charge, high-quality care that would otherwise cost families upwards of 150 $ per night in the private sector.
KSC also provides critical support to cancer treatment facilities and radiotherapy centers in Slemani, Erbil and Duhok. Through its flagship Ara Project, the organization not only furnishes these centers with medicines and medical staff but also offers psychosocial and financial assistance to children undergoing intensive cancer treatment—ensuring they receive dignified, continuous care.
Recognizing the importance of building local capacity, KSC invites international medical teams to treat complex pediatric conditions such as scoliosis, congenital heart disease, cleft lip and palate and hearing loss. These visiting specialists also conduct in-depth training sessions for local healthcare professionals, thereby raising the overall standard of pediatric care.
Notably, KSC established Iraq’s first dedicated Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Emergency Hospital in Slemani. Outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, this facility performs more than 100 surgeries annually and is the only center of its kind in the country.
In partnership with the public health sector, KSC has also contributed to the establishment of Iraq’s first specialized Children’s Heart Hospital, expanding access to advanced cardiac care for children.
Additionally, the organization has launched initiatives to provide dental care under general anesthesia for children with autism and ADHD, ensuring that children with special needs receive appropriate and compassionate treatment.
For families who require treatment abroad for conditions that cannot be addressed locally, KSC offers financial assistance and comprehensive guidance, removing barriers to critical care.
The organization also engages in public health education, disseminating accurate information in schools and public institutions to encourage healthy behaviors from an early age.
In times of public health emergencies, such as the outbreak of cholera, KSC responds rapidly by delivering hygiene materials, protective equipment and emergency medical supplies to frontline health facilities. Most recently, KSC introduced a dedicated Speech Therapy Unit to serve children with cleft conditions, hearing impairments, and speech delays—further broadening the scope of its child-centered health services. It also continues to support the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), which plays a vital role in helping children with physical disabilities regain mobility and independence.
As the world pauses to reflect on the importance of health, KSC renews its call to action for stronger collaboration and sustained investment in child health. Each intervention, each surgery, and each life touched through KSC’s Health Program is a testament to the power of collective responsibility and unwavering compassion.
About KSC
KSC is a non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organization that provides assistance to children regardless of race, gender, political or religious affiliation. It operates through four essential programs: Child Protection, Education, Health and Youth Ability Development as well as emergency relief during disasters.
KSC’s main aim is to work directly or indirectly to ensure a better future for children by improving and providing their various medical, social, economic and educational needs.
KSC was co-founded in 1991 by Hero Ibrahim Ahmad and Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmad, currently First Lady of Iraq.
For more information
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