Dr Ahmed Zouiten, WHO Representative, addresses the attendees of HeRAMS launch event in Baghdad

Baghdad, 7 June 2023— The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health, launched today the results of the Health Resources and Services Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS) in Iraq, marking a significant milestone in the health digitalization of the country's health system. 

HeRAMS offers comprehensive data that will revolutionize the decision-making process, drive effective and sustainable actions to improve health outcomes and foster a data-driven culture that prioritizes the use of health metrics and indicators. 

The results of the system revealed that the WHO and the Ministry of Health teams managed to assess 5205 health facilities, leaving no village untouched. The tool provided comprehensive data and an accurate snapshot of the available resources within the health system. 

The HeRAMS tool provides comprehensive data and an accurate snapshot of the available resources within the health system

“This system will enable us to identify weaknesses, determine areas for improvement and allocate resources more accurately, efficiently and effectively,” said Dr Ahmed Zouiten, WHO Representative in Iraq. “Our journey does not end here. We already initiated work on the District Health Information System (DHIS2), a tool that provides both aggregate and real-time data on disease surveillance and health programmes and outcomes.” 

The HeRAMS system provides an accurate picture of the availability of human resources, technical requirements, and various health services in all health centres and hospitals throughout Iraq, including the Kurdistan region and all Iraqi governorates. It also provides an accurate database that allows the fair distribution of resources in line with the needs of the population. 

The health sector in Iraq is one of the first sectors to enter the digital arena in the country, in line with global advancements and in conformity with the goals set by the Government. 

"Today, we embark on a significant journey towards improving health care in Iraq. Let us keep the momentum and continue to make progress towards building a strong health system that ensures universal health coverage and health for all in Iraq," added Dr Zouiten.

The results of the HeRAMS show the WHO and MoH teams managed to assess 5205 health facilities in Iraq