The Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, through its Health and Medical Education Authority, has inaugurated two mobile PET scan devices—the first of their kind in the Arab world—alongside the introduction of an advanced surgical robot into its healthcare system. This milestone aims to strengthen diagnostic and treatment services by equipping medical institutions with the latest global technologies.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the representative of the Supreme Religious Authority and Legal Custodian of the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, Sheikh Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalaey; the Secretary-General of the Holy Shrine, Professor Hassan Rashid Al-Abayechi; the Governor of Karbala, Engineer Nuseiyef Jassim Al-Khattabi; the Head of the Provincial Council, Dr. Qasim Al-Yassari; and several officials from the Health and Medical Education Authority.

In his address, Sheikh Al-Karbalaey stressed that responsibilities at this stage are “doubled and immense.” He noted that while state institutions continue to operate within their available resources, religious duty calls for contributing to the preservation of faith, morals, and human well-being, as well as supporting the essential pillars of society—education and healthcare. He emphasized that the Holy Shrine does not seek to replace government institutions but rather to complement them by providing qualitative support that enhances service delivery.

He further explained that the Supreme Religious Authority adopts a purely national approach. The focus on healthcare—particularly cancer treatment—stems from the severity of such diseases and the profound psychological and financial burdens they impose on patients and their families. He highlighted the expansion of healthcare projects to include cardiology, liver transplantation, gastroenterology, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, alongside efforts to engage Iraqi and international expertise to transfer cutting-edge medical knowledge.

Sheikh Al-Karbalaey also praised the Head of the Health and Medical Education Authority, Dr. Haider Hamza Al-Abadi, commending his leadership and management, which have contributed to a significant advancement in healthcare services. He announced that the CyberKnife system will soon be introduced to Iraq for the first time in the coming months.

For his part, Dr. Al-Abadi stated that global medical trends increasingly favor minimally invasive procedures that reduce complications and enable surgeries for patients who may not tolerate conventional operations. He noted that the “Al-Hayat” Center at the Warith Foundation has performed hundreds of specialized procedures, including the treatment of retinal tumors in children using microcatheterization. The center is the only facility in Iraq offering this type of surgery and one of only three in the region.