ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced a series of major achievements in its healthcare sector, establishing the region as a preeminent leader in complex medical procedures within the Middle East, particularly in the field of organ transplantation.

In a detailed announcement on Friday, KRG Minister of Health, Saman Barzinji, revealed the successful completion of over 100 government-subsidized liver transplant surgeries, a milestone that signals a transformative era for local healthcare.

Minister Barzinji declared that the Kurdistan Region has surpassed local expectations to become a regional leader in the capacity and success rates of liver transplants. He reported that under the current ninth cabinet, a total of 117 major liver transplant surgeries have been performed successfully.

"This is not merely a clinical statistic; it represents 117 individual lives saved from critical organ failure," Barzinji stated in an official release.

A cornerstone of this success has been the government's full financial backing. The Minister emphasized that the entire process is carried out with the direct support and explicit orders of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, ensuring cost is not a barrier for patients.

The total government expenditure for these 117 surgeries has reached approximately 5.5 billion Iraqi dinars. The beneficiaries came from across the region: 48 from Erbil, 33 from Sulaimani, 27 from Duhok, and 5 from Halabja.

Barzinji highlighted the program's efficiency, noting that each week, files for new cases are raised to the Council of Ministers and promptly receive the Prime Minister's approval for funding, creating a continuous lifeline for those in need.

All transplants are conducted within a strict ethical and legal framework, fully supporting laws on organ donation and transplantation and adhering to international bioethical standards.

Parallel to the surgical achievements, the region is also making significant strides in medical diagnostics. Minister Barzinji also attended the third radiology and Sonography conference in Duhok, underscoring the government's focus on holistic medical development.

Addressing doctors and specialists, Barzinji highlighted the evolving role of radiology, which now plays a critical part in treatment itself through less invasive interventional procedures.

He announced that Kurdish doctors have recently secured top positions in the Arab Board examinations for radiology and sonography, evidence of the region's growing intellectual capital.

The Minister also praised the KRG's efforts in equipping hospitals with state-of-the-art radiology and sonography machinery, ensuring these advanced tools are available even outside major urban centers.

The convergence of a high-volume, fully-funded transplant program and the elevation of radiological services to international standards demonstrates a healthcare system undergoing profound transformation. Through direct financial intervention and strategic planning, the Kurdistan Region is building a legacy of health security with world-class solutions.