Authorities in the Kurdistan Region have started health assessments for 27,000 people with disabilities as part of a process to grant them monthly financial benefits. Many of these individuals have waited several years for their payments to be approved.
According to official figures, more than 107,000 people with disabilities are registered across the Kurdistan Region. Around 70,000 already receive their monthly benefits without any issues. In addition, nearly 10,000 government employees receive disability-related allowances through their public sector jobs.
However, thousands of registered individuals are still waiting for financial support. Among them are 13,121 people who registered more than 13 years ago. Medical committees reviewed their cases and completed the required examinations. Despite that, they never received benefits after the Iraqi government suspended the approval process at the time.
Furthermore, another 14,000 people with disabilities have registered since 2013. The Iraqi government has now approved the next stage of procedures to allow these individuals to become eligible for monthly payments.
Yousif Chawshin, Director General of Social Monitoring and Development in Erbil, said the cases of the 13,121 applicants are complete and free of legal or administrative obstacles. Authorities have already sent their names to Baghdad for final processing.
Meanwhile, officials have formed a special committee to review the remaining 14,000 cases. The committee will conduct medical examinations and complete the required assessments before forwarding the names to the federal authorities.
The move offers hope to thousands of families who have waited years for financial assistance. Currently, disability benefits range between 100,000 and 150,000 Iraqi dinars per month. However, the Kurdistan Regional Government has spent the past two years negotiating with Baghdad to increase those payments.
Officials aim to align disability benefits in the Kurdistan Region with those provided elsewhere in Iraq. Under the proposal, monthly payments would rise to between 250,000 and 400,000 dinars.
Baghdad has reportedly pledged to allocate the necessary funds in this year’s federal budget. As a result, beneficiaries could soon receive higher and more standardized support across Iraq.
