In 2019, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continued to provide essential healthcare services in Iraq, where people are suffering from the effects of years of conflict and ongoing instability.

Although displaced people continued to return to their homes in 2019, more than a million still face significant barriers that prevent them from doing so. Some have been living ‘temporarily’ in camps for years, with little access to basic services. At the end of the year, the violent crackdown on protests in various cities across the country put additional pressure on the health system.

Many healthcare facilities have been destroyed and there is an overall shortage of healthcare specialists. These services are vitally needed to address primary and secondary healthcare needs and the traumas resulting from ongoing violence. Our teams have observed an increase in mental health needs caused by the prolonged suffering of both internally displaced
people and host communities.

This annual report provides an overview and the highlights of our activities across Iraq during 2019.