TEHRAN – Since August 2021 - the start of the administration of late President Ebrahim Raisi - many health projects have been implemented to facilitate access to healthcare and medical services, removing the face of deprivation, particularly from rural and underprivileged areas.

The outcome of these plans and programs is clearly evident in the country.

President Ebrahim Raisi was concerned about justice,  in education, and justice in access to medical and pharmaceutical services, doctors, and hospitals.  He always emphasized that people's lives are more important than anything else.

Procurement of vaccine

When the president took office, the health sector was going through challenging times; the fourth and then fifth waves of coronavirus were raging and killing people.

However,  the positive efforts facilitated the process of procuring the vaccine for the country, and with the help of the Iranian Red Crescent Society,  up to 10 million doses of coronavirus vaccine were brought into the country in each flight, accelerating immunization in the country.

Vaccination centers operated actively in the country; six different types of vaccines were produced and vaccines were imported.

Taking necessary measures, the health ministry successfully mitigated the pandemic.  

Free health insurance coverage

The astronomical costs of treatments and medicines, especially for low-income and disadvantaged people, and access to economic medical services were among other concerns of the late president.

In this regard, many individuals are covered by insurance free of charge and many others benefit from discounts to receive health insurance services.

The Law on Family and Youth Support and the contribution of incentives for childbearing was the other program conducted under the supervision of the president. It resulted in offering free infertility treatment to couples to benefit from numerous services.

There are about 400 hard-to-treat diseases. Currently, the number of diseases covered by insurance has reached 107.

The frequency of these 107 diseases is higher than other diseases.

According to the authorities, the chance to come down with the rest of the diseases is so low that there are less than 100 cases of individuals suffering from them.

Family health program and referral system

Family Health Program and Electronic Referral System is one of the most important priorities of the health ministry, which is designed and implemented in order to increase access to health services and strengthen the country's health network system.

According to the program, a health team comprised of two caregivers and a physician is responsible for 3,000 individuals.

Construction of big hospitals

Over the past two years, hospitals have been equipped with about 16,000 beds.

The construction of big hospitals was one of the important priorities of the administration of President Raisi and the health ministry.

Two hospitals with respectively 1000 and 821 beds were built.

Also, the first specialized hospital for children, named Hakim, after the Islamic revolution was built in 27 months.

About 79 other important hospital projects are also on the agenda, and between 8 and 10 hospitals with 1,000 beds are under construction.

Other services

In an effort to boost the health of society,  the treatment of children under seven years of age is free of charge, and now medical centers are obliged to implement it.

Fighting against the smuggling of economic Iranian medicines and also reducing the treatment costs by increasing insurance coverage as well as the implementation of the nursing services tariff law after 15 years of delay, opening and inaugurating 2000 health projects in two years to rebuild the health network system are other projects implemented by the President Raisi administration.

Additionally, providing free services to improve the nutrition of pregnant mothers and their children, free cochlear implantation for deaf children for the first time in the country, and dispatching 2,800 doctors to deprived and less privileged areas are part of the offered services.

MT/MG