List 129: We Radically Reform Healthcare Sector

Reports 12:19 PM - 2024-10-08

PUK's logo.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) seeks to enhance the healthcare sector in the Kurdistan Region, protecting the people from issues associated with poor quality medicines, revive people's trust in public hospitals, and to stop the monopolisation of the pharmaceutical industry market in the Kurdistan Region.

"Public health surveillance should be intensified"

Dr. Mariwan Jamal, candidate No. 41 of PUK List 129 in Erbil constituency, told PUKMEDIA: “We aim to enhance Public Health Surveillance within the healthcare system and are seeking to implement oversight on the quality of medications entering Kurdistan, as some of these medications are harmful to people."

He further stated: “We feel that a large number of health workers have retired, which has led to a shortage of staff in hospitals and health centres. Thus, we will seek to align open employment opportunities for the university and college graduates, while also striving to supply advanced medical equipment to the Kurdistan Region's hospitals to prevent patients from needing to seek treatment abroad."

The authoritarian rule has penalised Sulaymaniyah

Mohammed Taha Qadir candidate number 44 of the PUK List number 129 in Sulaymaniyah constituency, told PUKMEDIA: "With the PUK no longer in power, private hospitals are expanding, while public hospitals are being disregarded. If the PUK wins, we will provide services free of charge to citizens."

"The power that has imposed itself on the Kurdistan Region and controls the basic nodes of governance has penalised Sulaymaniyah province," Qadir said.

The sixth term of the Kurdistan parliamentary elections is scheduled to take place on October 20, 2024. The PUK is contesting with PUK List 129 and 172 candidates under the slogans "Correcting the Course of Governance" and "We Will End It."

PUK's Programme for Health Sector:

One of the most essential sectors that directly impacts all members of society is the health sector. An advanced healthcare system in any country ensures the well-being of its population. Hence, the health sector was given particular focus in the PUK programme, encompassing the following points:

1. Implementing a comprehensive overhaul of the health system, grounded in medical science and according to relevant laws.

2. Protecting the rights of patients and providing them with specialised services while ensuring cost-effective treatment and organising clinic operations.

3. Prioritising the public sector and enacting reforms in this domain to alleviate the need for people to seek treatment at private sector hospitals.

4. Providing advanced medical equipment in the hospitals of the Kurdistan Region to reduce the need for patients to seek certain treatments and testing abroad.

5. Developing an appropriate plan for employing graduates from medical colleges, nursing colleges, and technical medical institutes to address the shortage of human resources in hospitals and health centres throughout the cities, towns, and villages of the Kurdistan Region.

6. Implementing an enhanced programme to mitigate the spread of communicable diseases among citizens, achieved by increasing their health awareness, promoting awareness of nutritious food and hygiene practices.

7. Offering training programmes for doctors and healthcare professionals abroad.

8. Eliminating the monopoly in the import market of pharmaceuticals and decreasing taxes and tag prices, therefore resulting in a reduction in the cost of medicines.

9. Augmenting quality control teams to mitigate the occurrence of importing substandard pharmaceutical product.

10. Organising yearly medical conferences in the provinces of the Kurdistan Region to advance the healthcare industry.

11. Implementing a comprehensive healthcare system and overseeing the importation of medications and health supplies, while ensuring equal pricing of medicines in all cities and towns of Kurdistan.

12. Providing health insurance for all residents of the Kurdistan Region.

13. Prioritising health awareness in the educational programmes.

14. Providing health supplies everywhere in the Kurdistan Region.

15. Sustaining Sulaymaniyah's leading standing in the health sector in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and to extend this expertise to other cities in Kurdistan.

16. Prioritising and promoting family medicine

17. Establishing coordination among the provinces of the Kurdistan Region in the realm of healthcare.

18. Formulating a comprehensive plan to eliminate child malnutrition in the Kurdistan Region.

19. Developing a suitable strategy to advance the health sector at both the public and private realms.

20. Establishing hospitals and health centres in every province of the Kurdistan Region in accordance with the necessary plan.

21. Collaborating with the federal government to ensure effective distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment across all areas of Kurdistan.

22. Prioritising the health of children, particularly those diagnosed with autism.



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