Woman dies during kidney stone surgery at private hospital in Kirkuk

KIRKUK, Iraq — A woman died during a kidney stone procedure at a private hospital in Kirkuk, medical sources in the city said, adding that the exact cause of death had not yet been determined. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and the body has been transferred to the Kirkuk forensic medicine department for examination. The family filed a complaint with the relevant authorities, asking that the circumstances of the death be clarified and that legal action be taken if any medical negligence or error is identified, according to the sources. No official statement had been obtained from the hospital's administration or from Kirkuk health authorities. The sources said the final cause of death will depend on the results of the forensic examination and the official inquiry. Calls have continued in Kirkuk and other Iraqi cities for tighter oversight of private healthcare facilities.