Kurdistan Region to Offer Free Treatment for Thalassemia Patients Under PM Barzani’s Initiative
Areen Sartip, Director of the Thalassemia Center in Erbil, confirmed the development to Kurdistan24 on Tuesday, stating that "based on the prime minister's decision, all government hospitals in the Kurdistan Region will offer free testing for thalassemia patients."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has announced that all thalassemia patients across the Region will now receive free treatment, marking a major relief for thousands of families affected by the inherited blood disorder.
Areen Sartip, Director of the Thalassemia Center in Erbil, confirmed the development to Kurdistan24 on Tuesday, stating that "based on the prime minister's decision, all government hospitals in the Kurdistan Region will offer free testing for thalassemia patients."
As part of the initiative, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will also fund life-saving bone marrow transplants abroad for 100 thalassemia patients. Of these, 35 patients are from Erbil alone. Each transplant costs approximately $40,000, with costs potentially rising to $100,000 if complications arise.
“Our center receives about 50 patients daily who rely on regular blood transfusions and medications,” Sartip noted. He added that Erbil currently has around 1,100 registered thalassemia cases, with 950 patients undergoing consistent treatment.
According to the Thalassemia Association, 13 new cases have been recorded in the Kurdistan Region in the first five months of 2025, bringing the total number of patients in the Region to over 3,500.
Prime Minister Barzani’s decision has been widely welcomed by healthcare professionals and families alike, offering renewed hope for improved quality of life for those living with the chronic condition.
