The deterioration of public healthcare in the past four decades means that expatriate workers, and those Iraqis who can afford to, tend to rely on private clinics, many of which are run by medical specialists who also work in the state system. There are about 90 small, privately run hospitals, clinics and dental surgeries as well as about 3,400 privately owned pharmacies. Those who can afford it also travel abroad for treatment – private Iraqi hospitals tend to be small, with an average of only 25 beds. Most admissions are for surgery and deliveries and few provide general hospital care.

While government spending on healthcare remains low at $250 per capita, the state has been investing heavily in rehabilitating the sector in recent years. Besides rebuilding physical infrastructure – some $4.7bn of hospital projects are under way or about to begin – Iraq has been attempting to reverse a decades-long exodus of trained staff. There are only 0.7 doctors per 1,000 people, compared with 2.8 in Egypt and 3.5 in Lebanon, according to the World Health Organisation. Even in the private sector, there are shortages of doctors, consultants, anaesthetists and nurses.

As a result, private medical treatment can be expensive and payment is often required in advance. Expatriates are advised to buy medical insurance before travelling to Iraq. No health insurance programmes exist within Iraq, meaning that all private healthcare is met out-of-pocket. No ministry guidelines or regulations currently exist for private hospitals and clinics, which are largely outside the national health information and supervision systems.

Foreign provision of medical facilities, training and equipment is expected to help rehabilitate the sector in the coming years. The government has set a target of 80 per cent of patients being treated in primary care facilities – from about 60 per cent at present – with the aim of focusing the attention of the main hospitals on specialist care. The expected growth of the private healthcare industry will, however, require regulatory reform at a government level.