Erbil health director refutes Iraqi report on cancer statistics
"According to our hospital and healthcare center data, 30% of registered cancer patients are from other Kurdistan Region cities and southern Iraq," Mohammed explained.
Nov. 10, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Dr. Dlovan Mohammed, Director General of Erbil Health, challenged the accuracy of the Iraqi General Health Council's report during a press conference on Sunday pointing out that the report itself acknowledges that approximately 50% of cancer patients registered in Erbil are non-residents.
"According to our hospital and healthcare center data, 30% of registered cancer patients are from other Kurdistan Region cities and southern Iraq," Mohammed explained.
"Even by their own statistics, if 70% of patients are from Erbil, this includes patients from surrounding areas who are registered under Erbil, making their conclusions inaccurate," he added.
The health director emphasized the reliability of their electronic documentation system: "From a scientific perspective, when we look at our complete data and information recorded through our electronic system, every patient undergoes comprehensive screening, and confirmed cases are systematically registered in our database."
The dispute over cancer statistics highlights the broader challenges of healthcare data management in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Erbil, as the Kurdistan Region's capital, serves as a major healthcare hub, attracting patients from across the region and beyond.
This regional centralization of healthcare services often leads to statistical discrepancies when analyzing disease prevalence rates, as patients from surrounding areas and other provinces frequently seek treatment in Erbil's medical facilities.
The electronic registration system implemented in Erbil's healthcare facilities represents an effort to maintain more accurate patient records and disease statistics.