The General Directorate of Health in Sulaymaniyah, which issued the order suspending all liposuction and fat removal surgeries in public and private hospitals across the governorate.
'Temporary'
Sulaymaniyah halts liposuction and fat removal surgeries after second death this year
SULAYMANIYAH — Health officials in Sulaymaniyah have ordered a temporary suspension of all liposuction and fat removal surgeries in both public and private clinics across the governorate, following two patient deaths linked to the procedures this year.
A directive issued Tuesday by the general director of health called for an immediate stop to “all types of liposuction and fat removal surgeries,” effective in all medical facilities under the authority of the Sulaymaniyah Health Directorate. The decision, dated April 23, 2025, will remain in effect until new, specialized guidelines are issued in coordination with the Kurdistan Doctors Syndicate and related medical bodies.
The order, shared with both government-run and private hospitals, said the suspension was necessary to protect public safety. It warned that any facility violating the order would face legal consequences.
The move follows the death of Shokhan Abdullah, a 35-year-old woman who died Monday night during a liposuction procedure at a private hospital. In January, a 41-year-old woman also died shortly after undergoing liposuction at another private facility, making Abdullah’s death the second such case in Sulaymaniyah this year.
The health directorate emphasized that all related surgeries must be paused until further notice and that any updates or changes will be issued through formal notifications.