Healthcare Archives - Iran News Daily

Some 1,200 knowledge-based firms operating in healthcare sector

mahla — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 21:24:41 +0000

There are around 10,000 knowledge-based companies operating in the country, of which some 1,200 companies are working in the healthcare sector, Younes Panahi, the deputy health minister, has said.

He added that some 800 knowledge-based companies working in the field of raw materials and equipment supply the pharmaceutical needs of the country, IRNA reported.

“More than 21,900 faculty members are active in the field of health. Moreover, 804 government research centers, 39 non-government centers, and more than 600 elites are cooperating with the health ministry.”

Exporting technological products

Exporting technological products of Iranian knowledge-based companies is one of the important and key programs of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, and in this regard over the past years, with the support of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, the Iranian houses of innovation have been set up in several countries to develop the global market for knowledge-based products.

These centers have already been set up in countries such as Russia, Turkey, China, Syria, Kenya, Armenia, Iraq, and Uzbekistan.

By supporting innovative ideas, and holding technological and innovative events, the centers will be a platform for the development and promotion of Iranian knowledge-based companies, startups, and creative industries.

The centers are mainly formed with the investment and support of the private sector to provide the necessary infrastructure for their exports through innovation houses.

In February, Raisi said science and technology are the cornerstones of national development.

The chain of knowledge, research, innovation, and technology ensures sustainable development in the country, he added.

“Our interaction with all nations and governments in the world should be for the transfer of knowledge and technology, and our interaction with all neighboring countries, in the region and globally, should be based on this criterion,” Raisi highlighted.

The Vice Presidency for Science and Technology was formed in 2006 with the aim of creating an environment for supporting knowledge-based companies and providing the ground for the development of technological industries.

The country’s progressing process of development has accelerated with the emphasis on the formation of the technology and innovation ecosystem and the approval of laws for supporting knowledge-based companies and boosting Iran-made products.

Today, we are witnessing the positive effects of adopting the approach in the economy, culture, and daily life of people.

The national budget bill for the current Iranian calendar year 1402, which started on March 21, has earmarked about 37 trillion rials ($74 million) for science and technology.

The bill increased the budget by 35 percent compared to the previous year’s budget, ISNA reported.

Improving the scientific level of society, achieving high global rankings in the number of scientific articles, references, and patenting, reducing the illiteracy rate, and increasing the number of university courses and students are only a part of the achievements after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

According to the latest statistics, more than 8,000 knowledge-based companies are operating in the country.

Exports of medicine

Iran expects to increase the exports of medicine to around $200 million in the current year that started on March 21, from some $60 million last year.

“The increase in drug production is supported by stable supply for exports, and our forecast for exports in the current year is $200 million,” IRNA quoted Heidar Mohammadi, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, as saying.

Currently, the production of medicine, medical equipment, and powdered milk is supported by subsidies. So, their exports were very limited, but it is hoped that their exports will increase next year, he explained.

Referring to the shortage of 100 drug items in the country, he said: “Currently, nearly one and a half percent of the country’s pharmaceutical need is imported. Along with domestic production, it is done as soon as the domestic production meets the demand.”

According to Food and Drug Administration, some $60 million worth of medicine was exported in the calendar year 1400 (March 2021-March 2022).

The figure was about $180 million in the year 1397 (March 2018-March 2019). The country imports some $1 billion of drugs per year.

Iranian-made pharmaceuticals are currently exported to Canada, Japan, and Europe, Faramarz Ekhteraei, chairman of the Iranian Pharmaceutical Industries Syndicate said, emphasizing that 72 percent of the country’s pharmaceutical raw materials are domestically produced.

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Iran calls ECO for promoting primary healthcare

mahla — Sat, 27 May 2023 20:24:32 +0000

The Iranian deputy health minister has called member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) for upgrading and strengthening existing systems and restructuring processes to promote universal health coverage (PHC).

Considering that the issue of health is the most important factor of sustainable economic-social development, especially when communicable and non-communicable diseases have increased in different countries of the world as well as ECO member countries, it can be seen as a common responsibility for all countries, Mohammad-Hossein Niknam said.

He made the remarks at the 5th meeting of the Ministers of Health of the ECO member states within the framework of the 76th session of the World Health Assembly, which was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 21–30.

In order to successfully carry out this responsibility, the continued cooperation of ECO member countries to improve the health situation in their countries and exchange experiences and lessons learned from the recent Covid-19 pandemic will create a resilient infrastructure of primary health care (PHC), he highlighted.

Considering that the joint cooperation between ECO member countries in the field of health is a main element for the growth of the national economy of the countries, creating a joint network in the pharmaceutical industry, vaccines, and medical equipment is essential, Niknam stressed.

Addressing the World Health Assembly on May 24, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said the only way to ensure the global health goals, including “saving people and ensuring health for all,” is to increase opportunities for meaningful international collaboration and partnership.

“The World Health Organization recently declared the end of Covid-19 as a global health emergency. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for the tireless efforts of all the dedicated health workers involved in responding to this pandemic.”

He went on to say that the right to enjoy health and enjoy the highest health standards should be available to everyone without distinction of race, religion, political opinions, or economic and social conditions.

Equitable, unimpeded, and timely access to health products and medical countermeasures is critical in public health emergencies.

Unilateral coercive measures, as acknowledged in the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, negatively affect the right to health of people under sanctions.

“Regional and subregional cooperation can play an important role in promoting health for all. Health-focused subregional initiatives, such as the G5 cooperation program in our region, can help improve the resilience of health systems.”

The Group of Five cooperation program was designed and initiated by the Islamic Republic of Iran with the participation of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and the World Health Organization, and Tajikistan as observers. This subregional group is a unique example of South-South cooperation in the field of health, the minister stressed.

“We are happy to share our subregional joint health achievements with other regions and countries.”

The 26th G5 High-Level Experts Meeting on Health Cooperation and the 1st Healthcare Leadership and Governance Training Program was held in Tehran from May 6-10.

G5 countries (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, plus the World Health Organization) took part in the meeting with the theme of “Joint Work for Solving Joint Health Problems.”

Iran initiated the establishment of the G5 in 2005 to promote subregional cooperation in health among the countries.

Syed Jaffar Hussain, the World Health Organization Representative and Head of Mission in Iran, has appreciated the country for its efforts to enhance health security in the region.

The WHO representative also thanked Iran for holding the 26th G5 High-Level Experts Meeting on Health Cooperation and the 1st Healthcare Leadership and Governance Training Program, IRNA reported.

In June 2021, al-Mandhari said the Islamic Republic of Iran is a role model for primary health care.

For the past four decades, its PHC network has aimed to ensure that people have timely access to affordable, accessible, and acceptable essential health services, he explained.

During the seventy-sixth World Health Assembly, a series of strategic roundtables are being held. During these sessions, WHA delegates, partner agencies, representatives of civil society, and WHO experts will discuss current and future priorities for public health issues of global importance.

The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

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Charitable donations to healthcare sector up 100%

mahla — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 21:57:03 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) –The contribution of benevolent people and non-government organizations (NGOs) to the healthcare sector rose by 100 percent in the previous Iranian calendar year that ended on March 20.

Benevolent people and NGOs hold a 30 percent share of development projects in the healthcare sector, Mohammad-Javad Heidaripour, an official with the Ministry of Health, has said.

“In the past year, we experienced a 100 percent growth in charitable donations, which is very promising and heralds a new era in the field of public participation in the health system.”

Referring to the strong presence of benefactors for providing medical equipment and building medical centers in all the cities of the country, Heidaripour said: “Iran’s rank in the field of philanthropy is very significant in such a way that the country’s philanthropy rank in the world in the 10-year period ending in 2021 was 22.”

“Many philanthropic activities are not registered in the country. If these activities are included, Iran will be among the 10 most philanthropic countries in the world.”

So far, more than 21,000 benefactors who cooperate with the healthcare system have been identified, and information on more than 2,700 non-governmental organizations in the field of health has been collected throughout the country, he concluded.

In June 2021, Ahmed al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization director for Eastern Mediterranean Region, said the Islamic Republic of Iran is a role model for primary health care.

For the past four decades, its PHC network has aimed to ensure that people have timely access to affordable, accessible, and acceptable essential health services, he explained.

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.

Electronic health records have been set up so far for 98 percent of people in the country, Mostafa Rezaei, an official with the Ministry of Health, has said.

An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to users.

One of the key features of an EHR is that health information can be created and managed by authorized providers in a digital format capable of being shared with other providers across more than one healthcare organization.

EHRs are built to share information with other healthcare providers and organizations – such as laboratories, specialists, medical imaging facilities, pharmacies, emergency facilities, and school and workplace clinics – so they contain information from all clinicians involved in a patient’s care.

Only two percent of the Iranian population do not have an electronic health record service, and they can go to the service providers of their place of residence and create an electronic file, Rezaei explained, ISNA reported.

The electronic health record program was launched across the country in 2019.

The EHR project is jointly implemented by the ministries of health and ICT, the National Organization for Civil Registration, the Statistical Center of Iran, the Iran Health Insurance Organization, and the Social Security Organization.

The national budget bill for the current Iranian calendar year 1402, which started on March 21, has increased the health sector’s budget by 29 percent compared to the current year’s budget.

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More Sleep Gets You Better Reaction to Negative, Positive Events

reporter 1222 — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 05:36:30 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – New research from University of British Columbia (UBC) finds that after a night of shorter sleep, people react more emotionally to stressful events the next day — and they don’t find as much joy in the good things. The study, led by health psychologist Nancy Sin, looks at how sleep affects our reaction to both stressful and positive events in daily life.

“When people experience something positive, such spending time in nature, they typically feel happier that day,” said Nancy Sin, assistant professor in UBC’s department of psychology. “But we found that when a person sleeps less than their usual amount, they don’t have as much of a boost in positive emotions from their positive events,” sciencedaily.com reported.

People also reported a number of stressful events in their daily lives, including arguments, social tensions, work and family stress, and being discriminated against. When people slept less than usual, they responded to these stressful events with a greater loss of positive emotions. This has important health implications: Previous research by Sin and others shows that being unable to maintain positive emotions in the face of stress puts people at risk of inflammation and even an earlier death.

Using daily diary data from a national US sample of almost 2,000 people, Sin analyzed sleep duration and how people responded to negative and positive situations the next day. The participants reported on their experiences and the amount of sleep they had the previous night in daily telephone interviews over eight days.

“The recommended guideline for a good night’s sleep is at least seven hours, yet one in three adults don’t meet this standard,” said Sin. “A large body of research has shown that inadequate sleep increases the risk for mental disorders, chronic health conditions, and premature death. My study adds to this evidence by showing that even minor night-to-night fluctuations in sleep duration can have consequences in how people respond to events in their daily lives.”

Chronic health conditions — such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer — are prevalent among adults, especially as we grow older. Past research suggests that people with health conditions are more reactive when faced with stressful situations, possibly due to wear-and-tear of the physiological stress systems.

“We were also interested in whether adults with chronic health conditions might gain an even larger benefit from sleep than healthy adults,” said Sin. “For those with chronic health conditions, we found that longer sleep — compared to one’s usual sleep duration — led to better responses to positive experiences on the following day.”

Sin hopes that by making sleep a priority, people can have a better quality of life and protect their long-term health.

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Healthcare officials urge unity to defeat virus

reporter 1222 — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:42:26 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Islamic countries stressed that global impact and irreparable economic and health damages which the virus has brought requires global unity and solidarity to defeat and contain the disease.

Officials from Argentina and Kazakhstan gave inaugural messages in the opening ceremony of Iran’s 7th Science and Technology Exchange Program (STEP), organized by Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation, on Thursday.

Delivering a live speech via videoconference, Jorge Chediek, UNOSSC Director and Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation, said, “We are putting together some of the best minds in the Islamic world to confront the challenges brought about by Coronavirus.”

“In 2018 we launched a foundation to showcase the great technologies developed by scientists in Islamic countries and we really look forward to promoting more STEP engagement in Islamic countries,” he added.

He then commended the SETP event, stating “I look forward to the success of this program and I hope this is a tool for all the countries of the world for a better future without this pandemic.”

Further, Olzhas Abishov, Vice-Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan gave a message on the Strategies and Experiences in Facing Coronavirus during the 7th STEP on May 28.

“Today, the fight is against COVID-19 pandemic and the elimination of it. Economic damage and irreparable loss of human life are the two major issues hitting all the countries around the world. We continue to take scientific measures to fight this pandemic,” he said.

“In Kazakhstan, the intensity of the virus is significantly reduced due to the timely diagnosis and treatment of patients. However, the government continues to enforce quarantine measures more than ever. Random testing among various populations is conducted to give a holistic view of the state of the infected population.”

“This pandemic showed our strengths and weaknesses. It showed us where we need to make improvements,” he added.

He suggested “integrating COVID-9 health care to fight it in 2020.”

He also named “digitalization of public health surveillance as a COVID-19 response to take timely actions in a short time.”

“We believe that consolidation and solidarity are required to overcome this disease. We should work together and openly share expertise.”

“STEP is a perfect example of the scientific community’s endeavor to overcome the pandemic and establish a long-lasting network among Muslim scientists,” he said.

“Only together we can win,” he concluded.

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WHO: World needs 6m nurses

reporter 1222 — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 04:00:44 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – As COVID-19 captures global headlines, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday that the world needs nearly six million nurses.

The UN’s health agency along with partners Nursing Now and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) underscored in a report the crucial role played by nurses, who make up more than half of all health workers worldwide.

“Nurses are the backbone of any health system,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement, Reuters reported.

“Today, many nurses find themselves on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19,” he noted, adding that it was vital they “get the support they need to keep the world healthy.”

The report said that there are just under 28 million nurses on the planet.

In the five years leading up to 2018, the number grew by 4.7 million.

“But this still leaves a global shortfall of 5.9 million,” the WHO said, pointing out that the greatest gaps were in poorer countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and parts of South America.

The report urged countries to identify gaps in their nursing workforce and invest in nursing education, jobs and leadership.

Shortages ‘exhaust workforce’

ICN chief executive Howard Catton told a virtual briefing that infection rates, medication errors and mortality rates “are all higher where there are too few nurses”.

Furthermore, “shortages exhaust our current nursing workforce”, he added.

In fighting the pandemic, Mary Watkins, who co-chaired the report for Nursing Now, called for urgent investment in virus tests for health care workers.

“We have a very high proportion of health care workers not going to work because they’re afraid that they’ve been infected and that they can’t prove that they have not got the infection — or that they’ve had it, and they’re over it,” she said.

Catton said that 23 nurses had died in Italy and cited figures suggesting that around 100 health workers had died around the world.

Meanwhile, he said there were reports of nine percent of health workers being infected in Italy and “we’re now hearing of rates of infections up to 14 percent in Spain”.

He also cited reports of “completely unacceptable and reprehensible” attacks on health workers battling COVID-19, largely due to ignorance about their work, combined with countries not doing enough to protect them.

“COVID is putting it into a very stark lens for us all,” he said, though he welcomed the growing appreciation in some countries of nurse’s work.

Catton said that could help change perceptions of the value of nursing — which in turn might help make it a more attractive profession.

Male recruitment

Beyond COVID-19, Watkins said many wealthier countries were not producing enough nurses to meet their own health care needs, and were therefore reliant on migration, exacerbating shortages in poorer countries.

“Eighty percent of the world’s nurses only currently serves 50 percent of the world’s population,” she noted.

Catton warned of risks that richer countries would rely on the Philippines and India to “supply the world with nurses”, which could lead to significant shortages in India.

The experts said nursing remains female-dominated and needed to recruit more men.

“There is clear evidence that where there are more men in any profession in the world, the pay and the terms and conditions improve,” Watkins said.

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Coronavirus death toll in Iran reaches 3,603

reporter 1222 — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 11:06:05 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – As of Sunday, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Iran has reached 58,226, with a total death toll of 3,603.

Iran’s Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said that 2,483 more cases have tested positive with the virus in the past 24 hours, increasing the total number of infections in Iran to 58,226.

He added that 22,011 patients suffering from the novel coronavirus have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far.

He put the number of those who lost their lives to the virus in the past 24 hours at 151, which brings the total death toll to 3,603 in Iran.

Some 4,057 patients are in critical condition, said the Health Ministry spokesman.

Up to the present date, more than 69 million Iranians have been screened for COVID-19, he added.

According to a report by the Iranian Health Ministry on Monday, capital Tehran reported the highest number of infections as compared with other provinces in the country.

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Leader: lost healthcare staff infected by coronavirus are martyrs

reporter 1222 — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:19:55 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has agreed to a proposal to consider as “martyrs” healthcare personnel who have lost their lives in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak in Iran, which has one of the highest numbers of infections outside China.

Islamic Republic leader, Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday agreed to the proposal put forth by Health Minister Saeed Namaki to designate as “martyrs in the line of duty” the country’s entire healthcare staff, including doctors and nurses, who have lost their lives in fighting to contain coronavirus, as the novel coronavirus is called.

In his letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, Namaki expressed gratitude to the Leader and wished health and success for the hardworking individuals who have endangered their lives to help the country get through this difficult time.

As of Tuesday, 291 deaths have been confirmed from the virus. A total of 8,042 infections have been diagnosed. And 2,731 patients have recovered.

Most of the infections have been reported in the provinces of Tehran, Mazandaran, Isfahan, Rasht and Qom, where the virus was first found.

The coronavirus initially emerged in China late last year and is now spreading in Europe and across the Middle East, sparking fears of a global pandemic.

The illness, whose symptoms are fever, cough and difficulty breathing, may cause lung lesions and pneumonia.

Since December 2019, over 114,510 people have been infected in several countries, with more than 4,020 deaths mostly in China.

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Burn Calories with Warnings on Package

reporter 1222 — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 09:08:32 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Food packs should display how much exercise a person would need to take to burn off the calories contained in the product, UK researchers say.

Appreciating it would take four hours walking to burn the calories in a pizza or 22 minutes to run off a chocolate bar creates an awareness of the energy cost of food, they say, BBC reported.

The labels would help people indulge less, exploratory studies suggest.

The aim is to encourage healthier eating habits to fight obesity.

According to the researchers from Loughborough University, who looked at 14 studies, this type of labelling could cut about 200 calories from a person’s daily average intake.

This may not sound like much but, they say in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, it would have an impact on obesity levels across the country.

More than two-thirds of adults in the UK are overweight or obese.

Lead researcher Professor Amanda Daley said: “We are interested in different ways of getting the public to make good decisions about what they eat and also trying to get the public more physically active.”

And labelling food with ‘exercise calories’ made it easier for people to understand what they were eating and nudge them into making better choices.

About calories

● The amount of energy in an item of food or drink is measured in calories (kcal)

● Our bodies need them to function

● But eating too many without burning them off causes obesity

● Eating a little bit too much every day adds up and the excess is stored by the body as fat

● Men need about 2,500 kcal a day and women about 2,000 kcal

Daley said many people would be shocked to realize how much physical exercise would be required to burn off calories from certain snacks and treats.

“We know that the public routinely underestimates the number of calories that are in foods,” she said.

“So if you buy a chocolate muffin and it contains 500 calories, for example, then that’s about 50 minutes of running.

“This definitely isn’t about dieting.

“It’s about educating the public that when you consume foods, there is an energy cost so that they can think, ‘Do I really want to spend two hours burning off that chocolate cake? Is the chocolate cake really worth it?'”

The Royal Society for Public Health would like to see the labelling introduced as soon as possible and says it is a move many consumers would also welcome.

It says: “This type of labelling really does put an individual’s calorie consumption in the context of energy expenditure and knowing how out of kilter we can partly explain the record levels of obesity we face.

“Small changes can make a big overall difference to calorie consumption, and ultimately weight gain.”

Daley hopes a large food chain or company will be willing to try the new labels on their products so the system can be given a ‘real-life’ trial.

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Male breast cancer symptoms is a warning

reporter 1222 — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 09:35:51 +0000

A man who noticed a lump “the size of a frozen pea” has urged men to check for breast cancer symptoms.

Vince Kitching, 69 male, booked an appointment with his GP straight after noticing it in his left breast, checking for breast cancer symptoms, Iran News quotes BBC wrote.

An ultrasound scan showed he had a tumor and he underwent a full mastectomy.

The grandfather-of-two from Llandudno Junction has now recovered after the discovery in May.

Breast cancer is very rare in men, with 390 diagnosed each year compared to 54,800 women, according to Cancer Research UK.

“Me and my wife Helen were devastated when we were told the news I had breast cancer,” Kitching said.

But he said after surgery in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd he was able to go home the same day to recover.

He added: “I was very lucky as I didn’t have any pain following my surgery and recovered very quickly.”

A week later, he received the news from his surgeon that the cancer had not spread and he did not need any further treatment.

“I’m not too sure how long the lump had been there but I wasn’t checking my breast area,” Kitching said.

“In fact, like many men, I didn’t even know we were supposed to check this area of our bodies.

“I had never heard of breast cancer in men before, there is no breast cancer in my immediate family so it had never crossed my mind.”

Breast cancer is often thought of as something that only affects women, but men can get it in rare cases.

It develops in the small amount of breast tissue men have behind their nipples and usually occurs in the over 60s.

Kitching’s surgeon Chiara Sirianni described male breast cancer as “quite rare” and said it represented about one percent of all cases.

She said: “It is important for men to remain aware and to report to the GP any new lumps on the breast or chest, especially if associated with skin changes and deformity.

“Most breast masses in men are benign, but they all warrant a specialist assessment.”

Sirianni said 95 percent of male breast cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage, however a “significant proportion” have a family history of the disease.

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