Strengthening Health System Governance in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

This book is a nuanced study of healthcare provision and health systems governance in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI). The authors address an important knowledge gap, offering compelling insights into health systems and governance in Kurdistan before and after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings stem from a system of benchmarking derived from both a comparative analysis of international healthcare standards and original empirical research. In light of the benchmarks of best practices for health system governance and the findings from in-depth qualitative interviews, the authors critically discuss the strengths and weaknesses in KRI healthcare governance and put forward pathways for reform. This thought-provoking book contributes to an important area of research on contemporary health systems governance and healthcare provision in low-income countries and war-affected regions. Dr Azhin Omer is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Law and Ethics at Nottingham Trent University, UK. She possesses extensive teaching experience in medical law and conducts research at the intersection of health system governance, healthcare quality, and patient safety. Dr Austen Garwood-Gowers is an Associate Professor in Health Law and Ethics at Nottingham Trent University, UK. His work synthesizes health law with ethical theory and human rights. He has authored monographs, edited collections and numerous articles in the field as well as presented extensively at conferences and workshops. He leads the Health Law and Ethics Research Group within Nottingham Law School, is a member of the steering group of the cross-university Health and Well-being research theme.