ORS/Iraq Collaboration on the Securing of Medical Radioactive Source Devices in Iraq

This paper will describe how numerous obstacles were overcome in a three-year period, 2019-2022, to secure radioactive sources in Iraq, resulting in a national comprehensive approach. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), on behalf of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Radiological Security (ORS), has worked with the Iraq Radioactive Sources Regulatory Agency (IRSRA) to enhance security for radioactive sources at five hospitals throughout Iraq and create a centralized remote monitoring system in Baghdad, Iraq. This work has been accomplished without the benefit of the LLNL team being able to travel to Iraq, thus requiring extensive planning, coordination, and cooperation amongst all stakeholders.