DHI QAR, Iraq - Dhi Qar Governorate suffers from a shortage of psychiatrists, with only four specialists currently available, despite an urgent need for such professionals due to the growing number of drug abuse cases.

In addition to drug-related cases, many other mental conditions require medical intervention by psychiatrists. However, the number of specialized doctors in Dhi Qar does not match the number of patients seeking psychiatric treatment. 

According to data obtained by The New Region, 121 patients visited a psychiatric treatment center in the province within a single month.

Ali, a resident of Dhi Qar, suffers from depression. He told The New Region that he had been receiving treatment from a psychiatrist in the governorate for several months, but his condition did not improve as he had hoped. 

He then decided to change his doctor in search of better treatment. However, during his search for psychiatrists in the governorate, he was shocked by the limited number of specialists, only four, one of whom is from Babil.

After failing to find enough options in Dhi Qar, which has a population of over two million people, Ali decided to travel to Baghdad, where he could have more options due to the higher number of specialists in the field.

Ali is not the only one facing this struggle. Many psychiatric patients in Dhi Qar do not receive the necessary medical care due to the shortage of psychiatrists. 

This issue poses a significant challenge not only for citizens but also for healthcare authorities in Iraq, who need to increase the number of psychiatrists and expand mental health services to ensure effective treatment for all patients amid continuous population growth.

Dr. Abdul Hassan al-Niazi, the head of the Dhi Qar Doctors' Syndicate, spoke to The New Region about the actual number of psychiatrists in the governorate.

According to him, only four specialists are officially registered. 

“Which is a very low number compared to the population,” he said. “Psychiatry is considered one of the most challenging and least preferred specialties among medical students. Encouraging students to enter this field requires increasing the number of study seats and providing necessary incentives,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Safaa al-Sayegh, a specialist in psychiatric disorders and the deputy director of the Al-Hayat Center for Addiction Recovery and Mental Disorders under the Dhi Qar Health Directorate, explained that “the severe shortage of psychiatrists exacerbates the crisis of providing mental health services to citizens in the governorate.”

“Global standards indicate that there should be one psychiatrist for every 10,000 people, but this standard is not met in Dhi Qar,” he said.

Sayegh pointed out that “psychiatrists in the governorate do not only treat mental disorders but also deal with drug addicts, which doubles their workload.”

“Therefore, there is a need to increase government support for psychiatrists and enhance incentives for medical students to enter this vital specialty,” he said.

Al-Hayat Recovery Center, which was opened in 2022, successfully treated 4,485 patients with mental disorders by early 2025, according to Sayegh. 

“This is a significant number that requires more psychiatrists to ensure the best healthcare services for citizens,” he said. “This total figure indicates that the average number of monthly patients over these years reached 121, highlighting the immense pressure on psychiatrists in the governorate.”

Given this situation, experts indicate that the four psychiatrists in Dhi Qar cannot meet the needs of over 600,000 people per doctor. 

Based on population distribution and global standards, the governorate requires more than 230 psychiatrists to adequately cover this need, reflecting a severe shortage in providing appropriate mental healthcare for citizens.

Ali al-Nashi, the head of the Al-Tawasul and Al-Ekha Humanitarian Organization in Dhi Qar, explained to The New Region that “the presence of suicide cases and mental disorders in the local community stems from a set of deep and complex causes, including family disintegration and harsh economic conditions. At the forefront are poverty and the search for job opportunities, which are the main factors driving the increase in these alarming cases.”

Nashi pointed out that “marginalization and unemployment prevail among the youth, as large numbers of them can be seen in cafes without jobs, which is a dangerous indicator of their loss of hope and worsening psychological suffering.”

“These harsh circumstances push some toward suicidal thoughts or mental illnesses,” he said. “Therefore, a serious stance is needed to monitor mental and social conditions. Additionally, for every large number of patients treated in a government center, there are similar numbers seeking treatment in private clinics.”

Meanwhile, the head of the Iraqi Psychiatrists Association, Haider al-Maliki, said that the number of psychiatrists in Iraq has exceeded 200 specialists. 

“We have recorded an increase in their numbers, which is the result of recent incentive measures introduced by the Ministry of Health,” he said. “These measures include exempting psychiatrists from the residency requirement in remote areas and waiving the academic grade requirement for entering the specialty.”

In 2022, the government-run Al-Hayat Recovery Center saw 803 visits from drug addicts and 1294 from patients with mental disorders. However, in 2023, the number of drug addicts seeking help surged to 1406 people, while the count for mental disorder patients slightly decreased to 1308 people.

The World Health Organization has previously highlighted that one in every four Iraqis grapples with mental health issues. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), one in five people living in an area affected by conflict is expected to have a mental health condition.