The Iraqi Health Ministry announced Thursday (September 6th) that the government has approved a plan to build 1,164 integrated health centres in Iraq.

"The total cost of the plan is about $7 billion, which will come from the state's federal budget for 2012 and 2013," Dr. Chasib Lateef, the ministry's technical deputy, said.

Officials aim to serve 10,000 people at each main health centre and to serve 5,000 people at each secondary health centre, he said.

Local and foreign companies will build these centres in the coming period, he said.