Families of PKU-affected children protest outside Iraqi Health Ministry

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Families of children with phenylketonuria (PKU) gathered outside the Health Ministry in Baghdad to protest the months-long unavailability of therapeutic milk and medication used to treat the condition. The protesters said the supplies are present in ministry warehouses but have not been distributed, with some of the stock already past its expiry date. Abir Hamid, whose child is among those affected, said therapeutic milk cannot be imported or sold through unofficial channels and that the ministry has failed to distribute supplies since October. She added that the ministry has not followed through on repeated commitments to deliver the products. According to the families, a single treatment tablet costs around $10, while a packet of therapeutic milk ranges from 150,000 to 400,000 Iraqi dinars — a price most families say they cannot afford. Umm Taha, the mother of a PKU patient, said families have faced shortages of therapeutic milk and medication for more than a year, forcing some to use expired products. She warned that the disruption has led to serious health complications in children and that some who could not access treatment have died. The protesters urged authorities to guarantee uninterrupted access to therapeutic milk and medication, release pending shipments immediately, and address the hardships faced by PKU patients and their families.