National Reporting Instrument 2015

Historical Background of the Ministry of Health in Iran The countrys first Health Department was established in 1926. A few years later it was renamed Healthcare Department. In 1941, following some structural changes to the department, Healthcare Ministry emerged. In 1967, the organizational structure of the Ministry and its responsibilities were approved by the Administrative and Employment Affairs Organization. In 1976, it was renamed as the Ministry of Healthcare and Welfare. In the same year, provincial health and treatment organizations were also established. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the Welfare Organization separated from the Healthcare Ministry. And eventually, with the separation of medical sciences universities from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT), and integration of health and treatment networks into medical sciences universities, “the Ministry of Health and Medical Education” was established in 1985. More historical details could be found here. (Hyperlink) In 1993, medical sciences universities and the regional healthcare organizations were merged in all provinces forming Universities of Medical Sciences and Healthcare Services to assume both tasks of training human resources and providing health care services. In 2000, the structure of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) was reviewed and its new structural pattern was approved by the Management and Planning Organization. Presently, the MOHME comprises eight deputies headed by deputy ministers: Curative Affairs, Public Health, Medical Education, Research and Technology, Parliamentary Affairs, Student and Cultural Affairs, Resource Management, Traditional Medicine, and three independent organizations: Food and Drug Organization (FDO), Pasteur Institute, and Blood Transfusion Organization (BTO). National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is also a double affiliated institute related to MOHME. * * * * * * Irans health system is unique respecting integration of health service delivery and medical education, where 57 Medical Universities are in charge of both service delivery and medical education (and research) throughout 31 provinces. Decisions regarding general goals, national policies and allocation of resources are made at national level by MOHME. The Ministry is currently responsible for planning and providing health care services and for monitoring and evaluating them at both national and provincial level through the Universities of Medical Sciences and Health Services. The Ministry has also the legal authority to oversee, license and regulate the activities of the private health sector. Universities of Medical Sciences and Health Services are run under the direct supervision of the Minister of Health. The Chancellor of each university in any given province is an alternate to the Minister for Health within that jurisdiction. The universities with their board of trustees have authority for decision-making on issues such as budget approval, allocation of incomes, signing contracts, gathering aids, implementing employment regulations, etc. there are more than 560 public hospitals within 430 cities throughout the country and each city holds its own Health Network where Health Houses and Rural Health Centres (in rural areas) and Health Posts and Urban Health Centres (in urban and suburbs) are coordinated and supervised. In early 2006, the Supreme Health Council was created. The President of the Islamic Republic heads the council and the health minister acts as its secretary. Eleven Cabinet ministers and a number of presidents of independent organizations have seats on the council, which meets once every three months to review socio-economic and environmental determinants affecting health and work out solutions to the problems facing the health system. There are similar structures at the provincial level to deal with such problems. In a major respond to Universal Health Coverage, Iran healthcare system is currently under a fundamental Health Transformation Plan (HTP) started in may 2014, which mainly targets financial hardship and quality of curative services and public health services. Implementing HTP led to a harsh reduction of ‘out of pocket payment’ to less than 10% for urban inhabitants and 5% for rural residents and further coverage of 7.5 million people under Health Insurance System, which accounts for almost entire population of Iran. Quality of clinical visits, general appearance of hospitals and emergency rooms, enhancing examination rooms, encouraging normal vaginal delivery, providing 14 medicupter bases and more recently a major revision in medical tariffs are among the most important steps in curative affairs of HTP. HTP in public health includes re-construction of almost 1000 Health Houses, providing public healthcare for 9 million people residing in suburbs, introduction of new vaccines and more importantly completion of Family Physician scheme.