The Iraqi government is hoping to introduce legislation allowing doctors and medical specialists to carry weapons. It is hoped the move will offer protection against the violence with which they are often confronted.

Doctors in Iraq can be the target of rebels and kidnappers hoping to make money through ransom demands. Another problem is that, especially in southern Iraq, tribal tradition dictates that doctors pay compensation if a patient in their care dies.

The risks run by doctors in Iraq have led many of them to leave the country over recent years. Their training enables them to earn a living relatively easily elsewhere.

The Iraqi government hopes doctors will be more inclined to return home if they know they can carry guns. The draft legislation still has to be approved by Iraq's parliament.

photo: Flickr / kasi metcalfe