Médecins Sans Frontières hands over Mosul hospital after nine years of care

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is handing over Nablus hospital to the Iraqi government at the end of December. The facility began operations in June 2017 to provide emergency medical care to residents of Mosul, Iraq, following a period of intense conflict.

The organization established the hospital to address a collapsed healthcare system in West Mosul. During the initial years, medical teams treated patients with severe war wounds and acute illnesses.

As the city's infrastructure gradually improved, the hospital transitioned its focus. It moved from general emergency response to specialized pediatric and maternity care, specifically providing emergency obstetric services and caesarean sections. MSF teams implemented technical solutions to manage the facility, including a machine to sterilize medical waste and a wastewater treatment system. They also established a laboratory in 2022 to test for bacterial resistance.

These efforts allowed the hospital to provide specialized care for children under the age of 14 and support mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization is now transferring the facility to the public health system. MSF continues to work in Iraq by supporting tuberculosis programs and training staff in various governorates. The handover marks the end of a period where the organization provided a primary lifeline for a community recovering from the effects of war.