Kurdish Doctor’s Artificial Heart Approved for Human Use by U.S. Health Authorities
Dr. Azad Ibrahim Najjar expressed his readiness to train medical professionals in Kurdistan to perform the procedure.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Renowned Kurdish cardiologist Dr. Azad Ibrahim Najjar announced on Wednesday that his groundbreaking artificial heart has received official approval from U.S. health authorities for human implantation.
The first procedure is set to take place next year on an American patient currently undergoing medical evaluations.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Dr. Najjar, a specialist in cardiology and vascular diseases, explained, "We are a team of heart disease specialists who have spent years developing and testing this artificial heart on animals."
He revealed that last week, the device received authorization for human transplantation, marking a significant milestone in cardiovascular medicine. "The implantation procedure will take approximately two hours," he noted.
Dr. Najjar emphasized that the artificial heart functions just like a natural one without complications, adding that discussions are underway with hospitals across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to introduce the device to heart disease patients.
A native of Zakho in Duhok province, Dr. Najjar has lived in Sweden for over 25 years. In 2021, he announced the successful development of the artificial heart after two decades of research, expressing his readiness to train medical professionals in Kurdistan to perform the procedure.
The artificial heart’s approval comes at a time when the Kurdistan Region is expanding its healthcare sector. On Feb. 5, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani inaugurated the first and largest international health exhibition in Iraq, MEDICO, in Erbil. The event featured more than 150 local and international companies specializing in healthcare, showcasing Kurdistan's growing role in the medical field.