Baghdad: Health Minister Abdul Hussein al-Moussawi issued a clarification on Saturday regarding proposals concerning revenue collected from health institutions.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, al-Moussawi highlighted that various responsible individuals are suggesting solutions to meet the Ministry of Health's essential needs, aiming to address the current crisis in healthcare spending. This crisis poses a significant threat to the delivery of healthcare services. Among the suggested solutions is utilizing revenue collected from health institutions and the financial returns from the Department of Public Clinics.

Al-Moussawi explained that during the three-year budget period from 2022 to 2024, the Ministry of Health retained 80% of its revenues, with the remaining 20% allocated to the Ministry of Finance. He noted that the retained percentage covered only 2.5% to 5% of the operational expenses of the Ministry's headquarters and health departments generally.

He provided an example of the Rusafa Health Directorate, which comprises 26 hospitals, 11 specialized centers, 4 heart centers, 1 oncology center, and 132 health centers. This directorate was allocated only one billion dinars per month from the collected funds in 2025 for all these institutions. Al-Moussawi further explained that with the conclusion of the 2025 budget and the start of 2026, the Ministry's allocation from its collected funds was halted entirely, with all collections being diverted.