Iraq Ranks Seventh Worldwide in Cancer Deaths Amid Alarming Global Surge

Iraq Ranks Seventh Worldwide in Cancer Deaths Amid Alarming Global Surge
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A new global study has placed Iraq seventh in the world for cancer-related deaths, highlighting a growing health crisis both locally and internationally. According to research published in the Daily Mail, cancer cases worldwide have doubled since 1990, reaching 18.5 million annually, with 10.4 million deaths. Projections warn that deaths could rise to 18.6 million each year by 2050—an increase of 75% compared with 2023.

In Iraq, medical experts report a steady rise in cancer rates, driven by environmental and wartime pollution, radiation exposure, and poor living conditions. Southern provinces, particularly Basra, face high incidences of leukemia and lung cancer, exacerbated by water and air contamination. Additional factors include smoking, obesity, limited nutritional awareness, and a strained healthcare system lacking diagnostic equipment and cancer treatments.

The World Health Organization estimates Iraq records more than 25,000 new cases annually, though actual figures are likely higher due to weak data collection. Local organizations have also noted a troubling rise in childhood cancer in Basra over the past decade.

Health professionals are urging Iraq’s government to adopt a national cancer strategy focused on expanding oncology centers, improving access to treatments, enforcing environmental regulations, and strengthening early detection and public awareness.