Iraq faces drug crisis due to cash shortfall
2025-07-19T18:36:06+00:00
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq’s public health system is facing a critical shortage of medicines and supplies, a lawmaker warned on Saturday, blaming severe underfunding by the Ministry of Finance.
Bassem Al-Gharabi, a member of the parliamentary Health Committee, told Shafaq News that the Ministry of Finance has so far released only 25% of the Health Ministry’s allocated budget this year, urging Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and the Minister of Finance to ensure the full disbursement of funds.
He also revealed that the ministry has been forced to cancel multiple contracts to purchase essential drugs and equipment, noting that the financial strain is already affecting availability across government hospitals and health centers.
