Sheikh Mohammed al-Yakubi Urges Doctors Not to Halt Work Amid Demands

Religious authority Sheikh Mohammed al-Yakubi has called on doctors working on temporary assignments not to suspend their work, saying their demands should be met and that any stoppage would worsen people’s suffering and could lead to deaths. The appeal comes as pressure grows over staffing and service delivery in Iraq’s health sector. Al-Yakubi said officials should listen to representatives of the concerned group in order to resolve the problem, and he said the new government must take steps on the issue. He stressed that the country’s population still needs health services despite the strain. He also said the problem has deepened because of Iraq’s financial difficulties and the large number of students graduating in an unplanned manner. His remarks framed the dispute as both a labor issue and a broader public health concern.