Parliament passes Law on Management and Conservation of Water; Health Committee tasked with compiling MPs’ recommendations to Government on healthcare
The Kurdistan Parliament on 5 June 2022, presided over by Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq, passed the Law on Management and Conservation of Water. Parliament also heard the Health Committee’s report on substandard, expired and smuggled medicines and put questions to the KRG Minister of Health.
For the Bill on Management and Conservation of Water, the Municipalities, Agriculture and Legislative committees read the different proposals for each article and they were put to voting. The law as a whole passed with a total of 85 votes.
The aim of the law is to increase water security in the region, given that water is a life necessity for society and the economy and also has an impact on politics, and given that it is part of the national wealth; to prevent misuse, help protect water resources for the future, and to ensure that water resources are shared fairly.
This was followed by the first reading of three bills: the Legislative Proposal on the Rights and Duties of Healthcare Workers in Kurdistan Region – Iraq; the Bill on the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism of Kurdistan Region – Iraq; and the Bill on the Organization for Accreditation of Institutions and Educational and Higher Education Programs in Kurdistan Region – Iraq.
Speaker Faiq tasked the relevant committees with working on the three bills to prepare them for their second reading.
For the deliberations about the report by the Committee on Health, Environment and Consumer Rights on poor quality, expired and smuggled medicines, the KRG Minister of Health Dr. Saman Barzinji and the KRG Minister for the Region for Parliament Affairs Dr. Vala Fareed were present to answer questions and give their comments.
The committee deputy chair Dr. Shayan Kaka Salih read the committee's report which explained their findings on medicines quality control, how companies import medicines, the prices of medicines at private hospitals and related issues. The report included many recommendations and suggested solutions.
MPs then presented their comments and put questions to the Health Minister, who explained his ministry’s steps to reform both private and public hospitals and healthcare, and he replied to the MPs’ many questions.
Speaker Faiq suggested that the Health Committee compile MPs’ recommendations into a report to send to the KRG and to follow up on its implementation. MPs unanimously approved the suggestion.
