Peregraf – Duhok
For Haifa Ibrahim, a mother of two children living with Thalassemia, life has become a cycle of long travels, high costs, and constant worry. Although a new hospital dedicated to Thalassemia patients stands near her home in Duhok, it remains an empty structure-without doctors, equipment, or the capacity to treat a single patient.
Haifa, 45, says she travels several times each month between cities to secure blood transfusions and medication for her children. One child has already undergone surgery in Sulaymaniyah, and the other urgently needs the same procedure. But the family has run out of money.
"I need to visit the governmental Zhin Center at least four times a month to receive blood and medication," she told Peregraf. "Our hope was that the new hospital would help us. But it’s only a building-no doctors, no equipment-so we are forced to travel far again."
The family’s only realistic chance for a permanent cure would be treatment abroad, but that requires financial support, which they do not have.
A Growing Crisis for Thousands
Haifa’s case reflects a wider crisis affecting Thalassemia patients across Duhok and the Kurdistan Region. Official statistics show more than 3,600 registered patients: around 1,200 in Duhok, 1,000 in Erbil, and the rest in Sulaymaniyah. Many rely on regular blood transfusions and lifelong medication. The only definitive cure is a bone marrow transplant.
In 2022, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) launched a program sending Thalassemia patients abroad for bone marrow transplants at a cost of roughly $55,000 per patient. According to the Ministry of Health, 120 patients have been sent so far, with 60 more scheduled in the next phase. But for many families, the wait is long, and the uncertainty is exhausting.
"We Only Want the Right to Live Normally"
Naktal Khurshid, 22, from the outskirts of Duhok, has lived with Thalassemia since childhood. Twice every month, he travels to Duhok city center for blood and treatment. But this only sustains him temporarily.
"My cure requires surgery," he said. "The Zhin Center helps us, but they cannot perform the surgeries we need. So we must travel to other cities or abroad-something my family cannot afford."
Patients say that while government hospitals are required to provide free treatment, the true cost of living with Thalassemia reaches around $1,000 per month when accounting for transportation, medications, and additional medical needs not always available locally.
A Hospital Without Doctors
The Zhin Center is the only governmental facility for Thalassemia patients in Duhok, and its director, Dr. Hassan Abdullah, acknowledges the limits they face.
"We provide blood transfusions, medication, and necessary treatments," he told Peregraf. "Other hospitals also facilitate their needs. But surgeries cannot be performed here."
Regarding the newly built Thalassemia hospital-currently empty-Dr. Hassan confirms the core problem: "No doctors or medical equipment have been provided yet. This responsibility lies with the Ministry of Health and the federal government. We are also waiting for it to open so surgeries can finally be done here."
A Call for Urgent Action
For patients and families in Duhok, the situation has become unbearable. They have one clear request: equip and staff the new hospital so that surgeries can be performed locally, just as they are in Sulaymaniyah and other areas.
"The only hope for us is that the doctors and equipment finally arrive," said Naktal. "They keep saying ‘next month,’ but nothing happens. We are exhausted. We just want help so we can live like other people."
As the empty hospital continues to stand unused, thousands of Thalassemia patients in Duhok remain trapped between financial hardship, medical gaps, and the daily fight to survive a disease that could be treated-if only the promised services would finally arrive.