About the hospital

Al-Kafeel Specialized Hospital is one of the healthcare institutions affiliated with the Al-Abbas Holy Shrine. It was established as part of the shrine's commitment to support the healthcare sector in Iraq, particularly in the holy city of Karbala. The hospital aims to address the significant healthcare challenges in the country, offering advanced and specialized medical services. We aspire to be the first choice for patients seeking a safe healing environment of the highest quality, as well as for physicians and healthcare professionals looking for an inspiring workplace and continuous learning opportunities. Our mission is to provide exceptional medical care at affordable prices, accessible to everyone.

The hospital was constructed on a 10,000 square meter plot, with 5,000 square meters allocated for the hospital building and another 5,000 square meters for external services. It is located in the Bahadliyah area, adjacent to the Old Valley Cemetery. The hospital building consists of six floors, including a basement, a ground floor, and four upper floors, forming the main hospital structure with a capacity of 200 beds. The hospital has been recognized as one of the best futuristic hospitals in the Middle East, as acknowledged by the Middle East Hospital Build and Infrastructure Exhibition & Congress held in the United Arab Emirates. The hospital was awarded a certificate as one of the top five hospitals in the Middle East, aimed at supporting the healthcare sector in Iraq. It provides excellent healthcare services to patients, eliminating the need for travel and its associated costs by offering advanced surgical specialties with state-of-the-art equipment and a highly specialized medical team.

The patient is entitled to numerous rights established by the hospital administration, in alignment with the regulations of the Iraqi Ministry of Health and international hospital standards. These rights are continuously updated to reflect advancements in this field. The patient’s rights include the following:

- Obtaining prior written consent from the patient before performing any surgery, anesthesia, blood transfusion, or other medical interventions, except in emergencies.

- Prioritizing emergency cases for treatment.

- Receiving medical guidance on post-hospital care upon discharge.

- Ensuring the confidentiality of the patient’s medical records and safeguarding them from loss or misuse.

- Restricting access to the patient’s medical file to the treating team and authorized personnel from official entities.

- Receiving information from the treating physician about their diagnosis, proposed treatment plan, the likelihood of success or failure, any changes in their health condition, and the expected outcomes of refusing treatment.

- Prompt evaluation and management of pain, including its relief and treatment.

- Knowing the names of the medical team overseeing their treatment and obtaining clear health information from the treating team, with a interpreter provided if necessary.

- Ensuring that no medical information potentially harmful to the patient’s condition is withheld, provided it is communicated to an accompanying representative.

- Isolating the patient from others for preventive or security purposes, if necessary.

- Receiving an estimated cost for their treatment and discussing these costs with the relevant personnel.

- Submitting complaints or suggestions regarding the provided medical or non-medical services directly to hospital management or through the hospital’s website, without any negative impact on the care or treatment provided.

- Maintaining the patient’s privacy while receiving medical services.

-Accessing alternative healthcare options if the hospital is unable to provide the required services.

- Safeguarding the patient’s personal belongings against theft or loss in accordance with hospital policies.

- Protecting the patient from any physical, verbal, or psychological abuse, as per hospital regulations.

- Ensuring all necessary measures are in place to guarantee the patient’s personal safety.

- Providing the patient with a username and password to access their medical records electronically, allowing them to retain or print a copy as desired.

- Providing discharge instructions, including the treatment plan and medical guidance for continuing care outside the hospital.

- Offering suitable accommodation for the patient’s companions.

- Addressing the patient’s specific needs within the healthcare facility.

- Providing appropriate meals during the patient’s hospital stay.

Each patient is issued a personalized identification card, digitally documenting all their medical data, including tests, analyses, and other relevant information.

The hospital provides its medical and healthcare services directly to citizens from all segments and social classes without discrimination. Special priority is given to exceptional and humanitarian cases, such as wounded security forces, the sacred Popular Mobilization Forces, students, and other cases deemed necessary by the hospital administration. Additionally, the hospital offers health insurance services to those who wish to benefit from them, in accordance with the hospital's applicable regulations. The hospital is committed to implementing the highest standards to ensure the quality of services provided, contributing effectively to the continuous improvement of these services.

Al-Kafeel Hospital is a non-profit healthcare institution committed to enhancing community well-being. We achieve this by providing integrated medical, nursing, and hospitality services of the highest quality and grounded in values such as compassion, respect, efficiency, precision, and affordability. Employing advanced management systems, the hospital seamlessly blends national expertise in healthcare, education, and research with global best practices, establishing itself as a benchmark for ethical, professional, and technical excellence while reducing the need for citizens to seek healthcare abroad.

There is no doubt that the medical situation in Iraq has been adversely affected by the policies the country has experienced, resulting in significant challenges for citizens due to the multitude of major medical issues we face. Furthermore, the existing infrastructure is no longer sufficient to meet these needs. For this reason, the Al-Abbas Holy Shrine decided to undertake this project, which was inaugurated after fulfilling all necessary requirements. By the grace of Almighty Allah, the construction was completed in less than four years, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the executing company, the designers, and the supervision provided by the Projects Department of the Holy Shrine. The idea behind establishing this hospital, or its primary objective, is to address the reality that a large number of patients travel abroad for treatment due to the lack of effective medical care in our existing hospitals, especially with the complexity and variety of diseases. To ease their burden and reduce the strain on them, this hospital was established.

To be a pioneer in healthcare, medical education, and scientific research while adhering to the highest values of justice, respect, compassion, efficiency, and precision, striving to create a healthy society capable of contributing to the sustainable development of the world.

Over the next five years, Al-Kafeel Specialist Hospital, under the General Secretariat of the Al-Abbas Holy Shrine, aims to achieve the following strategic objectives:

1. Set a standard for cleanliness and hospitality

Establish Al-Kafeel Hospital as a model of excellence in cleanliness and hospitality services, adhering to the most stringent international standards.

2. Deliver exceptional healthcare services

Offer medical and health services within a framework of respect, compassion, efficiency, and precision, ensuring that any deviations from these standards in monitored cases do not exceed 4% monthly.

3. Foster strong relationships with healthcare professionals

Build a supportive environment that ensures no highly skilled physicians or nurses choose to work elsewhere due to relationship, logistical, or procedural challenges attributable to the hospital.

4. Promote economic development by reducing medical travel

Decrease the need for Iraqi patients to travel abroad for treatment of complex cases by 80% within five years by attracting foreign specialists or assembling expert teams locally and nationally.

5. Achieve global accreditation

Secure German international accreditation by the end of 2023 and Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation by 2026.

6. Strengthen collaboration with the public sector

Establish robust partnerships with the government healthcare sector, as evidenced by the hospital's proactive involvement in emergency responses, large-scale events, expertise sharing, joint training programs, and compliance with public sector regulations.

7. Expand activities in current medical specialties

Double the operational capacity in key medical areas, including:

- Audiology and speech therapy

- Emergency care

- Infertility treatment and in-vitro fertilization (IVF)

- Bariatric surgery for obesity

- Breast cancer screening

- PCR and genetic testing

- Physical therapy

8. Introduce new medical units

Develop specialized units to address emerging healthcare needs, including:

- Women’s cosmetic surgery unit, staffed exclusively by female professionals to respect cultural and religious sensitivities.

- A center for physical therapy, training, and rehabilitation.

- Endocrine and diabetes treatment unit.

- Heart failure treatment and rehabilitation unit.

- Respiratory disease treatment and rehabilitation unit.

- Stem cell research center.

9. Establish a training and continuous education department

Create a dedicated department to connect hospital operations with academic institutions and research centers, locally and internationally. This division will oversee training programs, workshops, conferences, and needs assessments, ensuring a comprehensive learning environment aligned with global professional standards.

10. Support Iraqi talent

Prioritize employing Iraqi medical and healthcare professionals, who will constitute at least 60% of the hospital’s workforce. This commitment reflects the hospital’s belief in Iraqi expertise, supported through training programs led by local specialists. Foreign staff will make up a maximum of 40%, primarily to meet patient preferences and contribute to knowledge transfer and skills development.

11. Promote health insurance systems

Collaborate with the Iraqi Ministry of Health to implement and raise awareness about health insurance initiatives, positioning the hospital as a leading provider of insured healthcare services