Mental Health in Iraq
Iraq’s health system is in crisis. Life expectancy and child mortality rates are far poorer than regional averages. Despite this, over the past 10 years Iraq has consistently spent less on healthcare per capita than its poorer neighbours – an average of only $161 per citizen annually. In 2019, just 2.5% of the state’s budget was allocated to the Ministry of Health . Following the collapse of oil prices and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Iraq faces a budget crisis with insufficient revenues to pay salaries, pensions and other costs – let alone public health (IBBC, 2020).
In recent anti-government protests, poor access to healthcare has been a central grievance. Levante’s investigation revealed a substantial trust deficit between patients and government medical professionals. This is compounded by the steady ‘brain drain’ of medical professionals out of the country over the course of the last two decades.
These challenges for Health in general are particularly acute when it comes to Mental Health. Mental disorders are poorly understood by policy makers, practitioners and community members alike. There is no specific budget for mental health in Iraq and space/resources are often not afforded to mental health patients at the primary healthcare level. Stigma prevents the reporting and diagnosis of symptoms and concerns about confidentiality mean many vulnerable individuals go untreated.
Levante International Development carried out in-depth research with senior officials and advisors in Iraq’s Ministry of Health, psychologists and social workers on-the-ground and NGOs operating across the country. We explored the prevalence of mental disorders and how these express and manifest themselves within the very specific Iraqi context (after decades of instability, these emerge through a prism of ‘resilience’ and coping mechanisms). We worked with our clients to establish the feasibility of a proposed intervention, and made recommendations for the provision of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services.
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