TEHRAN- The second phase of the family physician program, aiming to provide easy and round-the-clock access to primary healthcare, started by offering the services to 32 more cities across the country.

In this regard, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said that hospitals have been equipped with some 15,900 new beds and the number of government-run dental clinics have been quadrupled over the past two years, IRNA reported.

He also said hospitals will be equipped with 6,700 more beds by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2024).

Family physician program

In 2005, the program was started, which targeted almost 25,000,000 citizens residing in rural areas, and was piloted in two provinces of Fars and Mazandaran.

Periodic examinations and monitoring of people's health status, easy and round-the-clock access to basic services and primary care, and preventing frequent visits to doctors are the characteristics of a family physician.

Based on the program, a physician and a midwife offer services in rural areas, every 3,300 villagers have a physician and there is a midwife per 5,200 people in villages.

The implementation of the family physician program in urban areas also began in June 2012 in Fars and Mazandaran provinces. Reducing out-of-pocket payments has been an important effect and benefit of the urban family physician program.

In April 2023, the family physician program started in 57 cities across the country.

The program aims to strengthen preventive measures and protect people's health with the participation of capable groups under the supervision of the country's health and treatment network.

 The family physician program, being implemented in cities with less than 20,000 people, has envisaged building 3,900 medical centers across the country.

The family physician program has positive achievements for improving the health of society, and with timely diagnosis by doctors, the staggering costs of treatment can be reduced.

Iran, a leading country in healthcare

All the indicators of health and treatment have made significant progress after the Islamic Revolution, and now Iran is one of the leading countries in this field, ISNA reported Saeed Karimi, the deputy health minister, as saying.

 In October 2021, World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Iran Jaffar Hussain, said that Iran's health system can be a model for other countries in the region, especially in the field of health and the use of valuable forces such as healthcare providers.

MT/MG