How does it work?

Put plainly, Dhamani is a digital interface where registered citizens can:

• enroll or update their personal information online
• manage access to medical services
• carry their health history in a smart magnetic or biometric card

That card isn’t just plastic. It holds a full electronic medical record — diagnoses, prescriptions, lab tests — all in one place. This means that whether you’re in Baghdad or a far-flung province, your health data travels with you. The broader plan is to integrate these digital records into service delivery across public health centers, so doctors see the same information everywhere they go.

Officials plan a staggered rollout. First phase? One million people in Baghdad. Next? Two million more across nine other provinces, scaled by population size. Biological authentication and online tools are designed to keep things secure and smooth.

Why does it matter?

Iraq’s health system has long relied on paper. That’s slow. That’s error-prone. That’s opaque. Experts outside Iraq say this problem isn’t unique. In countries with paper-bound health records, clinicians spend hours hunting for files — and patients have little control over their own information. Digital records help fix that and boost patient satisfaction, communication, and continuity of care.

For Iraq, the stakes are even higher. By digitizing insurance and medical records, Dhamani aims to:

• improve efficiency and transparency
• cut administrative delay and error
• unify care delivery across regions
• connect patient data forest and field

The head of the Iraqi Doctors Syndicate put it plainly, calling Dhamani “a milestone for the health sector.” It’s a rare tech leap in a system that until now has been held back by manual processes and fragmentation.

The context

This launch comes amid broader moves across the Middle East toward digital health systems and universal coverage. Analog efforts linger in Iraq, and experts say the absence of electronic records is a genuine barrier to quality care. That’s not just about convenience. It’s about speed, accuracy, and equity across provinces and populations.

Dhamani itself isn’t new globally. In Oman, the Dhamani system has long served as a digital health insurance exchange, connecting insurers, hospitals, and regulators while managing claims and records. The idea there has been to bring everyone’s data together into one platform, cutting waste and fraud while improving access to care.

In Iraq, the platform marks the first phase of a planned transition to widespread digitalization of healthcare under the country’s Health Insurance Law. It’s a big deal for a nation rebuilding its public systems. It’s also a statement: Iraq is ready to harness data and technology to build a more modern, transparent, and patient-centered health system.

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What’s the news?

During the event, officials from Qatar and Iraq engaged in separate discussions with Iranian health representatives. Salih Al Marri, Qatar’s Assistant Minister for Health Affairs, met with Alireza Raeisi and Mohammad-Hossein Niknam from Iran’s Health Ministry. The talks centered around expanding collaboration, particularly in health infrastructure, disease control, and digital health systems. As a result, Iran and Qatar are working on two memorandums of understanding, complemented by establishing working groups to manage communicable disease detection and expertise sharing.

Similarly, Iraq’s Public Health Department Director, Riyadh Abdul Amir, announced plans for joint efforts in managing communicable and non-communicable diseases. This includes the digitization of health systems and rapid information exchange for disease control.

“Utilizing full potentials available in the regional countries is essential for us,” emphasized WHO EMRO’s Hanna Hasan Balkhi, indicating WHO’s support for these initiatives.

Why does it matter?

Enhanced cooperation among Qatar, Iraq, and Iran holds strategic significance for the region, given the health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises. According to Raeisi, Western nations, including the U.S., were unresponsive during the pandemic, highlighting the need for robust regional partnerships to tackle future health emergencies.

By improving collaboration, these nations aim to manage current health threats and prepare for future crises, ensuring better healthcare access and resilience.

As Balkhi noted during her recent visit, “Iran is a role model in health in the region,” underscoring Iran’s pivotal role in fostering regional health improvements.

The context

The ongoing health initiatives are part of a broader strategy to enhance regional health infrastructure and cooperation. The WHO session highlighted Iran’s achievements, with Raeisi outlining key national priorities — including the family physician program, electronic health records, and controlling non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of such diseases has increased in West Asia, with onset ages lowering due to ongoing regional conflicts.

Raeisi emphasized a need for early intervention: “We are planning to control the risk factors from childhood through old age.”

The cooperation between these nations represents a shift toward regional self-reliance, ensuring that countries can effectively manage health crises without over-reliance on external aid.

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