Health, transparency, services
Officials and residents discuss Najaf’s key issues in public dialogue session
NAJAF — The Mawja organization hosted a public dialogue session on Sunday at its main hall in the Al-Amir neighborhood, central Najaf. The event, attended by Deputy Chairman of the Najaf Provincial Council Ghaith Shubaa, Head of the Education Committee Hiba Al-Kufi, and local residents, focused on critical issues such as health services, municipal operations, transparency, and the selection of officials. Attendees raised questions about the council’s performance over the past months.
Deputy Chairman Ghaith Shubaa addressed concerns about municipal services, stating to 964media, “We identified issues related to the shortage of cleaning workers and equipment. After diagnosing the problem, we proposed a public-private partnership to address city cleanliness.”
He added that contracts have been signed with local companies, and collaboration with neighboring countries might also be considered.
On healthcare, Shubaa said, “We proposed increasing the number of doctors and ambulances, and financial allocations have been directed to oncology and Al-Zahraa hospitals.”
He highlighted that Najaf’s population, now exceeding three million, requires updated allocations from the Ministry of Health.
Regarding transparency, Shubaa remarked, “While we worked transparently within the council, unfortunately, some department heads, especially in agriculture and state property management, did not show the same level of transparency.”
Hiba Al-Kufi, Head of the Education Committee, acknowledged concerns about the appointment of administrative directors, saying, “The candidates selected are professional and have integrity, but we objected to the speed of the selection process, which didn’t allow enough time to review all resumes thoroughly.”
Najaf resident Ali Hassan voiced public sentiment, stating, “It has been nearly 11 months since the council was elected. Today, we came to this session seeking answers on vital issues like health, transparency, and municipal services.”
