TEHRAN - The Iranian traditional medicine provides an exceptional opportunity for the development of health tourism in the country, Arman Zargaran, a health ministry official, has said.

Health tourism is one of the important aspects of traditional medicine and there is very serious competition in the international arena to use this capacity, he added.

The Iranian traditional medicine as a valuable heritage of the country has a lot of potential in the field of tourism and international relations, he stressed.

“Traditional medicine is one of the subjects that is given serious attention at different levels in the countries of the world, because it is very important from the perspective of international organizations, such as the World Health Organization and UNESCO.”

Iran is one of the few countries with traditional medicine in the world, he said, adding that it is considered a very important potential for the country in various fields of education, economy, science, and tourism.

Iran ranks fourth worldwide in the production of science in the field of traditional medicine, and the remarkable achievement will improve in the coming years, Nafiseh Hosseini Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office, has announced.

Over 17,000 books have so far been published about Persian traditional medicine, which has been recognized by the World Health Organization, she noted.

Iranian traditional medicine strongly focuses on prioritizing health maintenance and disease prevention over treatment.

It is one of the most ancient forms of traditional medicine. It is grounded in the concept of four senses of humor: phlegm (Balgham), blood (Dam), yellow bile (Safra'), and black bile (Sauda'). The concept of the four senses of humor is based on the teachings of Rhazes and Avicenna in an elaborate medical system.

So far, about 30,000 plant species have been identified in the world, with Iran's share of about 8,000 species which is more than the whole of species found in Europe.

The per capita consumption of medicinal plants in Iran is about one kilogram of dried plants, in other words, 83,000 tons of medicinal plants worth 1.2 trillion rials (around $4 million) are consumed in the country, while in Europe this amount is 900 grams and in the United States is 2.5 kilograms.

The 6th National Festival and Exhibition of Medicinal Plants, Natural Products, and Iranian Traditional Medicine was held in Tehran on November 1 to 4, 2022.

The event introduced technological and scientific achievements of knowledge-based and creative companies in the field of medicinal plants.

It also created a reliable bridge between people who are active in the ecosystem of medicinal plants and traditional medicine.

It hosted knowledge-based companies, investors, research and technology funds, creative and innovation houses, banks, and venture capital funds in order to provide a path for development in the country.

More than 70 creative companies and a number of innovative houses presented their capabilities and products at the festival.

Iran hosted some 1.1 million medical tourists from different countries during the past Iranian calendar year 1401 which ended on March 20, an official with the Ministry of Health has said.

The number of international patients in hospitals is approximately one percent today, a trend that is increasing as it earns the country more money than any other source, Soleyman Heidari explained on Friday.

However, the capacity is expected to increase to 20 percent by the Iranian calendar year 1404 (March 2025), he mentioned.

Moreover, the health tourism infrastructure in the country is developing, which leads to an increase more medical tourists, he added.

MG