Iraq drops 10-year age cap for cochlear implant and hearing-impaired benefits

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has announced the removal of a 10-year age requirement for cochlear implant recipients and people with hearing impairments seeking state benefits. The Ministry of Health approved the change, and the Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has instructed its branches in Baghdad and other cities not to enforce the age limit, according to a ministry statement. Applications that had been suspended because the applicant exceeded the age threshold will be reassessed. The authority said the reviews will be conducted through its central database and that the decision is based on the Health Ministry's approval. Authority head Zikra Abd al-Rahim said the policy is intended to guarantee that eligible individuals can access their rights. People whose full-time care status was previously granted but whose salaries or medical rulings were later halted because of the age rule will benefit from the change. The authority clarified that the removal of the age cap does not mean new applicants will be automatically covered. Their cases will be considered only when funding allocations become available. Salary payments for individuals newly issued medical rulings will begin from the date their cards are issued, it added.