Imam Hussain Holy Shrine confirmed that the Iraq Healthy Lung Project “Rouh Warya” represents one of the most prominent health research initiatives launched during 2025, noting that the project received international scientific recognition after its preliminary findings were presented at the International Agency for Research on Cancer conference in Lyon, France.
The head of the Health and Medical Education Authority at the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, Dr. Haider Hamza Al-Abadi, said in a statement to the official website that “the Iraq Healthy Lung Project (Rouh Warya) is one of the most remarkable projects implemented by Warith International Cancer Institute, affiliated with the Health and Medical Education Authority at the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, during 2025, and it will continue for several years.”
He explained that “the idea of the project is based on opening free clinics inside Al-Thaqalayn and Warith hospitals for the early detection of lung diseases, while the medical and research team will collect and analyze participants’ health data over a five-year period in cooperation with University of Liverpool, with the aim of identifying risks specific to Iraqi society, whether environmental or genetic.”
He added that “the project’s preliminary results were published a few months ago in a highly ranked scientific journal, while the project director, Dr. Ahmed Al-Khafaji, participated this week in the International Association for Cancer Research conference in Lyon, France, which will open broader horizons for future cooperation, particularly regarding kidney cancer patients.”
In the same context, the institution said in a statement obtained by the official website that “Warith International Cancer Institute, affiliated with the Health and Medical Education Authority at the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine, presented its experience in developing Iraq’s first internationally recognized early detection program during its participation in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC60) conference held in Lyon, France, coinciding with the agency’s diamond jubilee celebrations and attended by healthcare experts and leaders from more than 90 countries.”
The statement added that “this international participation reflects the scientific standing reached by the institution, as the conference highlighted the Iraq Healthy Lung Project (IHLP – Rouh Warya), launched through a strategic partnership with the University of Liverpool.”
It further explained that “the project delivered important scientific outcomes aimed at protecting Iraqi society, most notably identifying the scale of the threat posed by lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Iraq despite ranking third in prevalence, in addition to warning that infection rates could rise by as much as 231% by 2050 if early detection programs are not activated.”
The statement noted that “on the sidelines of the conference, the institution discussed a joint future vision with the International Agency for Research on Cancer to develop a Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) model for predicting lung cancer among Iraqi individuals, representing a significant advancement in the path of early detection and reducing the risks of late diagnosis.”
The institution stressed that “participation in this global scientific event will open new horizons for international partnerships and the development of modern medical protocols,” noting that “early detection services for lung cancer are provided completely free of charge through Warith Foundation in Karbala and Basra and will continue for years to come in support of Iraqi public health.”
It is worth noting that the “Rouh Warya” project is among the health and research programs adopted by the Health and Medical Education Authority at the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine with the aim of supporting early detection and enhancing scientific studies related to chronic and cancer-related diseases in Iraq.
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