German-funded clinic inaugurated in Sulaimani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Health authorities in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani province inaugurated a German-funded clinic to treat COVID-19 patients on Wednesday. 

The clinic was initially designed to serve as a coronavirus ward. However, the Kurdistan Region’s health officials decided to use the health center to treat respiratory illnesses, outgoing German Consul General to Erbil, Klemens Semtner, told reporters at the inauguration ceremony. 

The 100-bed center is fully equipped with German and European medical equipment that will significantly aid the province’s patients, Semtner said. It has its own laboratories, an intensive care unit (ICU), ultrasound, and other screening services.

The diplomat said that the health center is part of Germany’s medical assistance to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the fight against COVID-19. German contributions to date are worth over 20 million euros.

The foundation stone of the clinic was laid in 2020 at the request of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Health Minister Saman Barzinji said in the press conference. 

Germany has built similar clinics in Iraq, according to the envoy.

Baghdad and Erbil requested assistance from their international partners in the early days of the pandemic.

Through the COVAX facility, a vaccine development and distribution consortium, Iraq has received more than 10 million vaccines, according to the annual World Health Organization (WHO) Iraq. 

Over 20 percent of Iraq’s population of 41 million has received at least one dose of vaccination against the highly infectious disease. 

Iraq has recorded more than two million infections since the pandemic outbreak in early 2020.