Iraq Healthcare Workers: Kirkuk resident doctors suspended work, demanding inclusion in the 2027 budget, payment of unpaid dues, and clearer job protections—echoing wider frustration across Iraq over delayed medical cohort appointments and stalled postings. Hospital Safety & Accountability: In Dhi Qar, a woman died during surgery to remove a fatty cyst near her kidney at Nasiriyah General Hospital; her family is pushing for a complaint and a forensic review, while a medical source cites complications and underlying conditions. Health System Strain: Iraq’s healthcare system is again in the spotlight as doctors protest unpaid dues and hospitals face mounting pressure. Public Health & Costs: Separately, Iraq’s dollar rate is nearing 160,000 dinars per $100 in Baghdad and Erbil, with economists warning that parallel-market demand tied to uncertainty and travel/medical needs could feed into higher prices for imported goods. Local Care Access: Iraq PM donated 47 billion dinars to renovate five Baghdad hospitals, aiming to ease facility gaps. Medical Waste: A monitor report says Iraqi hospitals are dumping medical waste into the Tigris and Euphrates, raising contamination concerns.