Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Iraq (Ratification: 1980)

Article 2(2) of the Convention. National policy concerning nursing services and nursing personnel. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that nurses are granted a hazard allowance amounting to 50 per cent of their basic salary as a means to retain qualified persons in the profession. Noting that long years of violence and economic hardship have worsened the working conditions of nursing personnel, and that health care institutions increasingly depend on the recruitment of migrant health professionals to meet the challenge of nursing shortfall, the Committee requests the Government to further elaborate on policies, programmes or incentives designed to: (i) offer attractive employment and working conditions and reasonable career prospects to all nurses; and (ii) to assure to foreign nursing personnel working in the country equality of treatment with national personnel.

Article 3. Nursing education and training. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the training protocols for nursing personnel that have been concluded with Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon as well as the training protocol with a United Kingdom university now being implemented. The Committee also notes the information on the different educational levels in nursing and midwifery, the duration of studies, and the number of relevant institutions operating in the country. The Committee requests the Government to submit additional information on the organization of studies in basic and higher nursing education, including study curricula and statistics on the number of persons enrolled in, or graduating from, nursing schools per year – if possible segregated by sex and educational level. The Committee also requests the Government to elaborate on any concrete measures taken or envisaged with a view to meeting current challenges, such as improving the quality of nursing education, promoting opportunities for international collaboration and assistance and bringing the nurse-to-population ratio to levels similar to those of neighbouring countries.

Article 4. Practice of the nursing profession. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that Act No. 11 of 1962 on the practice of the nursing profession is in the process of being amended in the light of occupational developments and the provisions of Act No. 6 of 2000 on health professionals, as last amended in 2008. The Committee understands that Act No. 96 of 2012 on the practice of the nursing profession and midwifery was adopted on 4 December 2012. According to the terms of the new legislation, the practice of the nursing profession may be authorized subject to the following conditions: one-year practical experience, Iraqi nationality, completion of at least two years of nursing studies, registered member of the Nurses’ Association, clean criminal and health record and payment of fees. The new legislation requires that such authorization be annually renewed while foreign nurses may also be authorized to practice the profession based on reciprocity. The Committee requests the Government to transmit a copy of Act No. 96 of 2012 and all relevant information of a practical nature following the implementation of the new legislation (e.g. number of authorized nurses, registered membership of Nurses’ Association and nationality and number of foreign nurses authorized to practice in the country).