Their Heartbeats, Our Hope Strengthens Iraq–Japan Partnership with Agreement to Equip Baghdad and Kirkuk Hospitals with 17 Infant Incubators
In a step reflecting the strong humanitarian and development partnership between Iraq and Japan, Dr. Ahmed Al-Hiti, President of the United Iraqi Medical Society for Relief and Development (UIMS), and His Excellency Akira Endo, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Iraq, signed a cooperation agreement under the “Their Heartbeats, Our Hope” project to equip a number of government hospitals in Baghdad and Kirkuk with specialized incubators for premature and newborn infants. The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of healthcare institutions and enhance the quality of care provided to children during the most critical stages of their lives.
Under the agreement, the beneficiary healthcare institutions will receive 17 medical infant incubators, including 10 incubators for Azadi Hospital in Kirkuk Governorate and 7 incubators for Al-Imamain Al-Kadhimain Hospital in Baghdad. This cooperation seeks to translate international partnerships into tangible and sustainable health interventions that respond to the actual needs of Iraqi healthcare institutions.
The signing ceremony was attended by a number of health officials and directors of the beneficiary institutions and hospitals, including Dr. Wael Kamel, Director General of the Baghdad Al-Karkh Health Directorate; Dr. Arjan Mohammed, Director General of the Kirkuk Health Directorate; and Dr. Ba Hilin Omar, Director of Azadi Hospital, alongside representatives of UIMS and other relevant stakeholders.
During the ceremony, Dr. Ahmed Al-Hiti, President of UIMS, emphasized that the “Their Heartbeats, Our Hope” project represents a health and humanitarian vision that goes beyond providing medical equipment. It aims to create a sustainable impact within healthcare institutions by supporting neonatal and premature infant care units and strengthening their readiness and capacity to provide more efficient and higher-quality healthcare services.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Hiti also expressed UIMS’s appreciation for the support provided by the Government and people of Japan and the Embassy of Japan in Iraq to the Iraqi health sector. He emphasized that this partnership represents an important model of international cooperation based on identifying actual needs and translating them into practical solutions that serve the Iraqi people and contribute to strengthening the capacity of the national healthcare system.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, UIMS President Dr. Ahmed Al-Hiti presented commemorative shields to His Excellency Japanese Ambassador Akira Endo, Dr. Wael Kamel, Director General of the Baghdad Al-Karkh Health Directorate, Dr. Arjan Mohammed, Director General of the Kirkuk Health Directorate, and Dr. Ba Hilin Omar, Director of Azadi Hospital, in recognition of their roles and efforts in supporting cooperation and coordination and facilitating the implementation of the initiative in support of the health sector and beneficiary children.
The agreement comes as part of the National Campaign to Reduce Child Mortality through the “Their Heartbeats, Our Hope” project, adopted by the United Iraqi Medical Society for Relief and Development to support Iraqi healthcare institutions and strengthen their capacity to provide care for premature and newborn infants through effective partnerships with government entities and national and international partners.
UIMS concluded by emphasizing that every incubator brought into service represents not merely a piece of medical equipment, but a new opportunity for a child’s life, reassurance for a family, and a long-term investment in the health of the Iraqi people. The Society expressed its appreciation for the partnership with Japan and for the efforts that have helped transform “Their Heartbeats, Our Hope” into tangible health impact within Iraqi hospitals.
