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E-News from Washington Vol.04-09 April 16, 2004
Outline For a New Mental Health System in Iraq

In early February, Tommy Thompson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (HHS) traveled to Iraq to review progress in rebuilding the public health infrastructure and health care system. Accompanying Thompson on the two day visit was Charles Curie, M.A., Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The group toured three hospitals and met with health officials, medical personnel, and patients to assess the health and mental health needs of the Iraqi health system.

Iraq still uses an outdated system of institutions to treat the seriously mentally ill. According to an HHS press release, there are only two psychiatric hospitals in the entire country, located in the capital city of Baghdad, that serve the entire population of 24 million. Rather than support or build more psychiatric institutions, Curie wants to use U.S. expertise to build a community based system of care that is integrated into the nearly 1,000 health care clinics now operating in Iraq. 

There is also a serious dearth of mental health professionals in the country. According to Numan Ali, M.D., secretary-general of the Iraqi Society of Physicians (ISP), there are only 90 psychiatrists, no psychologists, counselors or other mental health providers. Although there are no exact statistics for Iraq at the moment, schizophrenia is typically found in one percent of the population, which would be 250,000 people in Iraq. Depression could affect as much as 10 percent of the population, or 2.5 million people. The Ministry of Health, which oversees all health care in Iraq, does not have current statistics on mental health patients. In addition, the population outside of Baghdad is thought to suffer more mental illness per capita than most people around the world, following three devastating wars and social problems. 

Curie envisions international teams of mental health professionals visiting Iraq over the coming months to help expand the mental health training of local health care professionals. Mental health officials in New Zealand and England have also expressed an interest in joining the United States in sending teams of mental health experts to Iraq. In addition, Curie would also like to establish partnerships between U.S. and Arab specialty-training programs to facilitate professional exchanges with mental health professionals. 

With the help of the United States and its partners, Iraq’s 2004 budget for health care is $950 million, compared to only $16 million in 2002 under Sadaam Hussein. Most of the funding is coming from Iraqi oil sales, with support from other nations, including the United States. The Alwiyah Women’s clinic provides maternal and mental health care for women in Baghdad. Under Hussein, there was no mental health system and very little care for the mentally ill. Prior to the increase in health funding, the cost of receiving services at the clinical was too expensive for many Iraqis. However, the cost is now equivalent to 12 U.S. cents per visit. 

Curie will give the luncheon address on July 16, 2004, at the Association’s annual conference in Washington, DC. For additional information on this conference, please visit AMHCA’s website at www.amhca.org or call 800-326-2642.

Beth Powell
Director, Public Policy and Professional Issues
American Mental Health Counselors Association
801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 304
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone: 800-326-2642, ext. 105
Phone: 703-548-6002, ext. 105
Fax: 703-548-4775
Website: www.amhca.org