The Al-Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology and Brain Catheterization at the Warith Cancer Treatment Foundation, has announced the successful completion of 140 pediatric eye catheterization procedures since the center began offering this service in July 2023 through August 2025.
Dr. Ghazwan Alwan Al-Taie, Director of the center, told the official website that “the Al-Hayat Center for Interventional Radiology and Brain Catheterization at the Warith Cancer Treatment Foundation, affiliated with the Health and Medical Education Authority of the Imam Hussain Shrine, has achieved a major medical milestone by successfully performing 140 eye catheterization operations for children from July 2023 until the end of August 2025. This marks the first service of its kind in Iraq.”
He explained that “using this advanced technique at Al-Hayat Center is a pioneering step, making it the only facility in the country to provide this specialized treatment for ocular tumors through catheterization. Due to the exclusivity of this service, which is unavailable in any other medical institution in Iraq, the center has seen high demand from patients and their families across different provinces, in addition to receiving several cases from abroad.”
Al-Taie emphasized that “the Imam Hussain Shrine has fully supported this project by covering the cost of all procedures for children under the age of 15, free of charge. This support has had a profound impact in saving many children from losing their eyesight.”
He further noted that “the nature of the disease, retinoblastoma, often requires multiple surgeries for a single patient, as one or two operations are not sufficient in many cases. Some patients have undergone as many as 11 procedures, depending on eye examinations and specialist reports. Since this type of tumor cannot always be controlled from the first attempt, repeated interventions are often necessary to preserve vision.”
He pointed out that “the cost of a single procedure in international medical centers ranges between $5,000 and $6,000. If a child requires five procedures, for instance, the cost may reach $25,000, an amount far beyond the means of most Iraqi families. Without the support of the Imam Hussain Shrine in providing this service, the only alternative for many patients would have been eye removal and total blindness.”
Al-Taie also mentioned that “the Al-Hayat Center has received patients from across Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, and has also provided care for cases from outside the country. These include a successful catheterization procedure for a young girl named Marwa from Algeria and the treatment of a Yemeni patient suffering from a complex arteriovenous fistula in the retina caused by a head injury.”
It is noteworthy that through its Health and Medical Education Authority, the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine continues to keep pace with the latest medical and therapeutic advancements in Iraq, ensuring the delivery of the best possible care to patients.
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