Iraq to implement health insurance law after budget approval: Minister

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq's Minister of Health, Hani al-Aqabi, revealed the implementation of a health insurance law for citizens after the approval of the budget.

The minister said, in a statement, that "the health insurance law has not been applied yet."

"The ministry has determined its administrative structure in all provinces," he said. "The staff has been enrolled in courses inside and outside Iraq and now have the experience through which health insurance can be managed."

The minister added that "the law will be implemented on Aug. 1, but its application is linked to the general budget law."

"Health insurance needs a budget and will not be applied until after the budget law is approved."

He also said the application of the health insurance law "will not be applied in all Iraqi provinces in general."

Instead, it "will be applied in three provinces, and then other provinces will be included after the success of its application."

"The first provinces will be determined by how good their administrative infrastructure is and which have the lowest population rates," he said.