Najaf health workers protest for better protection from attacks

NAJAF — Unions representing various health professions, alongside the Journalists’ Union, staged a protest at Al-Sadr Medical City in Najaf today. This gathering was a response to a series of recent assaults on hospital staff, with the demonstrators calling for immediate protection measures and the enactment of laws to safeguard health workers.

The protest was sparked by an incident two days ago, where several members and doctors at Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital were assaulted by patient attendants following a request to leave the ICU, highlighting the increasing violence health workers face.

In Iraq, the healthcare sector is beleaguered by a combination of war-damaged infrastructure, economic strain, and chronic underfunding, resulting in overcrowded hospitals, shortages of medical supplies, and an overburdened workforce. This dire situation sets the stage for frequent clashes between healthcare workers and patients’ families, exacerbated by unrealistic expectations for medical outcomes.

Haider Al-Shibli of the Najaf Doctors’ Syndicate spoke to 964Media, stating, “The assaults are expected to continue due to insufficient protection and the police’s failure to intervene. We have only two officers at Al-Sadr Hospital, despite the presence of thousands of visitors.” He further noted that incidents like these, captured on video, suggest that such disrespect towards health workers is becoming normalized.

Al-Shibli also mentioned the difficulties health staff face in seeking justice: “Many are unable to file complaints; it requires them to leave their job and go to the police station or court.”

Tribal loyalty often trumps governmental authority, adding another layer of complexity. Medical professionals find themselves at the mercy of patients’ relatives who, armed with tribal and political affiliations, demand preferential treatment or blame staff for the inevitable consequences of a debilitated healthcare system.

Nurse Risan Ali, a witness to the assault, shared his experience with 964Media: “We, the nursing staff, were merely attempting to treat a patient accompanied by a group. However, issues arise with visitors claiming affiliations with political or governmental bodies.” He described how such assaults disrupt service delivery and impact patient recovery, adding, “My colleagues and I were beaten by a group of 20-25 people.”

Abdul Aal Al-Ghazali, Director of Al-Sadr Hospital, emphasized the hospital’s role in providing free services to all community segments and called for an end to the assaults, stating, “The series of assaults must be condemned and stopped, as they are recurring and affect health service delivery.”

Mustafa Al-Khaqani from the Najaf Nursing Syndicate pointed to systemic issues: “The local government’s actions and the lack of adequate protection, along with the large number of hospital visitors daily, have made targeting health workers a continuous issue.”

Hashim Obeid, a visitor from Diwaniyah, criticized the allowance of multiple companions per patient, which leads to assaults on medical staff. “This is a bad phenomenon. The patient needs rest and to avoid issues,” he said, adding that Iraqi tribes do not condone such acts and that any tribal sheikh would uphold the law and reject wrongdoing.

The absence of strong legal protections and sufficient security measures in hospitals has led to increased incidents of aggression towards healthcare workers, with few consequences for the perpetrators. This situation not only puts medical staff at risk but also affects the quality of care for patients, according to medical practitioners.