PUK MP: Parliamentary efforts continue to support cancer patients

On Tuesday, a parliamentary delegation visited the Zhianawa Cancer Center in the city of Slemani.

The parliamentary delegation consisted of Iraqi parliament MPs, Dr. Briar Rashid, Dara Sekanyani, Soran Omar, and Dr. Muthanna Amin.

Dr. Briar Rashid, an MP from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan bloc, told PUKmedia that the parliamentary delegation's visit comes to support cancer patients in the Kurdistan Region.

He added that the delegation discussed the needs, requirements, and shortcomings with the hospital administration, stressing that they will spare no effort to fill the shortcomings in medicines, requirements for cancer patients, and the necessary equipment for their treatment.

Rashid emphasized the need for concerted efforts between all parties to ensure and secure treatment for people with cancer.

Zhianawa Cancer Center (ZCC) is a public, tertiary cancer care facility dedicated to radiotherapy since its establishment in March 2009. ZCC is not only covering the cancer patients in Slemani governorate, but its patients are coming from all the regions of Kurdistan and Iraq. All the services of ZCC are free-of-charge.

Last Sunday, a delegation from the Iraqi parliament visited Hiwa Cancer Hospital, also in the city of Slemani, to discuss the hospital's needs and requirements, especially ensuring the provision of medicines.

The delegation consisted of Iraqi parliament MPs, Dr. Briar Rashid, Karwan Ali Yarwais, Dara Sekanyani, Soran Omar, and Dr. Muthanna Amin.

PUK bloc MP Karwan Yarwais, said in a previous statement to PUKmedia, that the delegation visited Hiwa Cancer Hospital to know about the hospital's needs.

The public hospitals of Slemani have been suffering from a lack of medicine and medical supplies for a while now. Slemani Health Directorate had previously warned of the issue.

Small budgets allocated from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the ministry of health have limited the purchase of medical supplies and medicine in Slemani, further exacerbated by the debts owed by the health directorate to pharmaceutical companies. 



PUKmedia