'The Skeleton' remains bare-boned since 2003
Baghdad residents demand completion of unfinished hospital
BAGHDAD — Residents of Baghdad’s Al-Risala neighborhood are advocating for the completion of a long-abandoned hospital building, locally referred to as “The Skeleton” due to its exposed structure. Located at the end of Qatar Al-Nada Street near the Al-Mawasalat neighborhood, the structure has been unfinished since 2003 and is home to displaced families.
The building’s incomplete frame has stood for years, forcing residents to navigate congested traffic to reach Yarmouk Hospital for emergency services, the nearest medical facility. “We urgently need healthcare facilities here,” Mohammed Saad, a local resident, told 964media. “Our community and the surrounding areas lack hospitals.”
Nawaf Ali, another resident, highlighted the strategic importance of the site. “Construction began before 2003 but was abruptly halted for reasons that are unclear,” Ali said. “Since then, it has provided shelter for displaced families. If completed, it could serve people throughout southwestern Baghdad.”
The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the need for more healthcare services and announced plans to open three new hospitals this year in the Al-Shaab, Al-Fudhailiya, and Al-Maamal or Al-Nahrawan areas. Additionally, eight existing hospitals will be expanded—four in Karkh and four in Rasafa—to better handle emergency cases.
Despite challenges, including unauthorized encroachments, the ministry is exploring solutions. “The ministry is currently assessing how to address these issues,” a ministry source said, acknowledging the difficulties posed by the incomplete Al-Risala hospital.
Since regime change in 2003, Iraq’s healthcare sector has struggled with corruption, including bribery, nepotism, and theft.
Transparency International has identified Iraq as one of the most corrupt nations, with corruption particularly deep-rooted in the health sector. This corruption is also partly responsible for the unfinished hospital projects.
Iraq’s healthcare system has been in decline since the early 1990s, worsened by international sanctions following the invasion of Kuwait. These sanctions resulted in severe shortages of medicines, contributing to the deaths of thousands from treatable conditions like infections and diarrhea.
In 2019, Iraq allocated six trillion Iraqi dinars, approximately 4.5% of its total annual budget of 133 trillion ID, to health and environmental services. This expenditure is considerably lower than that of neighboring countries. According to the World Health Organization, Iraq’s health spending per capita was $154 in 2015, significantly less than Iran’s $366 and Jordan’s $257. The number of hospital beds per 1,000 people decreased from 1.9 in 1980 to 1.3 in 2017.
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