The post Iran Exports Medicines, Pharmaceuticals to 50 Countries appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Hosted by the Ministry of Traditional Medicine of India in New Delhi, ICD-11 traditional medicine module 2 was launched on January 10 in the presence of senior officials of the World Health Organization and representatives of countries including Iran, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Mauritius, Indonesia, England, Philippines, and South Africa.

“As one of the participants, Iran has played an active role in compiling traditional medicine module 2. The country has also held several meetings with WHO’s experts and other participating countries,” IRNA quoted Nafiseh Hosseini-Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office, as saying.

Stating that this project started in 2020, she went on to say, “Despite all opposition and many problems, after 4 years of bilateral and multilateral negotiations, as well as employing effective scientific diplomacy in expert and decision-making meetings, traditional Persian medicine codes in Module 2 of International Classification of ICD 11 traditional medicine were accepted, which is a great achievement in the global expansion of Iranian medicine, Hossini-Yekta added.

Meanwhile, Arman Zargaran, the advisor to the health ministry’s traditional medicine office, stated that once ICD11 is in effect, all Iranian medical disease codes in hospitals and medical centers can be used.

ICD

ICD serves a broad range of uses globally and provides critical knowledge on the extent, causes, and consequences of human disease and death worldwide via data that is reported and coded with the ICD.

Clinical terms coded with ICD are the main basis for health recording and statistics on disease in primary, secondary, and tertiary care, as well as on cause of death certificates.

These data and statistics support payment systems, service planning, administration of quality and safety, and health services research. Diagnostic guidance linked to categories of ICD also standardizes data collection and enables large-scale research.

ICD provides a common language that allows health professionals to share standardized information across the world. The eleventh revision contains around 17,000 unique codes, and more than 120,000 codable terms and is now entirely digital.

All Member States are encouraged to follow their commitment to move on to ICD-11 documented with their approval of ICD-11 at the 72nd meeting of the World Health Assembly in 2019, and use the most current version of ICD for recording and reporting mortality and morbidity statistics both nationally and internationally.

Current implemented uses of ICD-11 include causes of death, primary care, cancer registration, patient safety, dermatology, pain documentation, allergology, reimbursement, clinical documentation, data dictionaries for WHO guidelines, digital documentation of COVID-19 vaccination status and test results, and more.

As a classification and terminology, ICD-11 allows the systematic recording, analysis, interpretation, and comparison of mortality and morbidity data collected in different countries or regions and at different times.

It also ensures semantic interoperability and reusability of recorded data for the different use cases beyond mere health statistics, including decision support, resource allocation, reimbursement, guidelines, and more.

The post WHO admits Persian Medicine National Coding for Classification of Diseases appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The event took place from November 27- 30 in Geneva, Switzerland, IRIB reported.

Arman Zargaran, Iran’s advisor to the traditional medicine office at the Ministry of Health, participated in the event at the invitation of the WHO headquarters in Geneva.

The International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines Unit of WHO, WHO-IRCH, invited 20 experts in the field of traditional medicine from all over the world to develop a draft of traditional medicine strategy for the period 2025-2034.

The invited experts were from China (3 representatives), Australia, Canada, Switzerland, (2 representatives each), Iran, Malaysia, England, South Korea, South Africa, Ghana, Norway, Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, and India (1 representative each).

Within 3 days of intensive work, the entire initial draft was reviewed in the presence of Rudi Eggers, WHO Director of Integrated Health Services, and Kim Sungchol, head of the WHO Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine Unit.

The rest of the work will be carried out remotely by the volunteer representatives after the end of the sessions based on the determined issues.

Zargaran assessed the level of the meetings as very high and the discussed topics of fundamental importance for the future integration of traditional medicine in the health system of the member countries of the World Health Organization.

He also considered the presence of Iran in this meeting as the only representative from West Asia to be important both from the point of view of Iran’s global reputation in traditional medicine and also as a unique opportunity to apply the viewpoints of Iran and Iranian medicine in preparing the most important universal draft of traditional medicine strategy.

It should be noted that WHO’s current document of traditional medicine strategy (2014-2023) has been extended until 2025, and the document being written will be reviewed for approval after its finalization in the upcoming General Assembly of the World Health Organization.

Iran holds 40% share of regional market

Iran holds some 40 percent share of the market for medicinal plants in the neighboring countries, an official with the Ministry of Health said on October 31.

“A large volume of pharmaceuticals, supplements, food products, and beverages are exported to Iraq, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, and Afghanistan,” IRNA quoted Hamidreza Banafsheh as saying.

Iran is among the leading countries in the field of medicine and health technology, supplying 98 percent of pharmaceutical items to the domestic market, the official noted.

“Nearly 450 out of 1,400 knowledge-based companies are active in the field of herbal medicines, biotechnology, and food industries.”

He went on to say that the National Institute for Medical Research Development aims at expanding exports of medicinal products.

Since most of the raw materials for the production of herbal medicines are native to the country, these products can internationally compete with those of the other countries, he added.

Besides, some 15 to 20 percent of Iran’s herbal medicines are unique in the world. Iran has the capacity to introduce new herbal medicines to the world, he highlighted.

Producing and commercializing pharmaceutical plants are the best ways to introduce the rich resources of herbal medicines which, in addition to making foreign currency revenues for the country, will lead to the scientific authority of Iran in this field, he concluded.

Medicinal plant exports can be increased

According to the chairman of the Union of Medicinal Plants Exporters of Iran, the country’s export of medicinal plants can be increased through meeting world standards.

Mohammad-Ali Rezaei Kamal-Abad stated that world standards are increasing due to the health-oriented consumption of herbal products, and failure to comply with these standards will lead to the return or destruction of these products.

“In the past years, poisons have entered the country, which is not only not used in other countries, but has also caused water and soil pollution in our country”, he lamented.

Referring to the importance of agricultural product export standardization, he added: “Standardization is done in our country, but this standardization is not up-to-date. With the coordination of ministries, expenditure and updating of information can help to standardize agricultural products and develop the export of these products”, he commented.

He said that having more than 11 climates out of 13 climates, Iran has 8,000 varieties of medicinal plants, which is at least twice as much as Europe.

The post Iran attends WHO consultative sessions on traditional medicine strategy appeared first on Iran News Daily.

These patients are from different parts of the globe mainly Europe, Asia, as well as South and North America, he added.

The majority of the medical tourists are from Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Pakistan, and Turkey, Karimi noted.

“Infertility” main reason to visit Iran

“Infertility treatment is the most important reason for foreign patients’ referrals to Iran’s health centers. Ophthalmology, orthopedics, cosmetology, pediatric surgery, and heart diseases are the next common reasons for foreign patients to visit Iran”, Tasnim quoted Karimi as saying.

According to the Ministry of Health, some 250 hospitals in 27 provinces of the country have International Patient Department (IPD) permits.

Iran’s medical tourism revenues reached $1 billion during the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20), as some 1.2 million medical tourists visited the country. But Iran has the capacity to raise it to $10 million.

Iran’s capacity for medical tourism

In the field of medical tourism, conditions are very good due to the trust that neighboring countries have in the Iranian health sector,” Karimi said.

Even Iranians who live in America and Europe perform their medical procedures in Iran and trust in the country’s doctors. At the same time, infrastructure is needed to expand medical tourism, he added.

“The tourist who comes should be provided with suitable accommodation, convenient transportation, and amenities.”

If these infrastructures and conditions are available, Iran will be at a very high level for services and can take good measures in the field of medical tourism, he concluded.

On July 16, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said, “Gradually, as familiarity with Iran’s level of progress in the field of health services increased, the number of medical tourists increased because they trusted the Iranian medical science.”

“We are planning to send health attachés to the countries where the number of visits by medical tourists to Iran is high.”

Einollahi added, “We have negotiated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the appointment of health attachés in the embassies of some countries with whom we cooperate in the fields of medicine, medical equipment, science and technology, and exchange of professors and students.”

“Health attachés are appointed in six countries in the first phase, including South American and African countries. We are also following up on dispatching health attachés in neighboring countries,” IRNA quoted Einollahi as saying.

“The issue of medical tourism is very important. Therefore, countries that have extensive relations with us in the field of health diplomacy will be given the top priority.”

President Ebrahim Raisi has said the Islamic Republic is a suitable destination for medical tourism.

Highlighting the country’s great strides in medical and health sciences, Raisi said patients in many neighboring countries prefer to visit Iran for treatment than travel to Europe.

This is due to the lower cost and high level of expertise in Iran, Raisi said, Press TV reported.

Challenges to overcome

There are some challenges ahead for foreign patients entering the country to receive medical treatment. Karimi has mentioned some of these problems.

A medical tourist should have easy access to the list of the centers with IPD permits, the kind of offered services, and the demanded price range, which is unfortunately not available in the country now.

Also, the hospital should be provided with a system to be able to follow up the medical procedures of foreign patients as they are treated and returned back home.

To address these problems, the Ministry of Health is going to provide a specific package for health tourism and services. The details of the package will be announced soon.

Moreover, the leveling of the medical services provided by the centers with IPD permits is underway.

This way, outgoing patients will receive medical care in centers in border cities, and those needing complicated surgeries will be treated in provincial centers.

The post Patients from 164 countries visiting Iran for medical treatment appeared first on Iran News Daily.

“Exports of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment grew by 300 percent in the first four months of the year,” IRNA quoted Heidar Mohammadi, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, as saying.

Last year, some 1,060 trillion rials (about $2.1 billion) worth of medicine and medical equipment were manufactured inside the country, he added.

Around 99 percent of the medicine supplied to the domestic market is produced by Iranian companies, he highlighted.

Iran plans to increase the exports of medicine to around $200 million in the current year from some $60 million last year, Mohammadi said in April.

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.”

A total of 227 knowledge-based firms are supplying medical equipment for health centers across the country, according to the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

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.

Some 40 percent of the country’s total pharmaceutical exports are biotechnology products, a member of the board of directors of the Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Medical Biotechnology Products said.

The post Exports of medicine, medical equipment sharply rise appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Considering the necessity of integrating traditional medicine services in the health system and covering at least three services by the end of the year, this important issue has been seriously placed on the agenda of the Ministry of Health, Nafiseh Hosseini Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office, said.

Currently, visiting traditional medicine specialists and a limited number of traditional medicines are covered by insurance, she added, IRNA reported.

“Also, insurance coverage of lifestyle-related packages is one of the other things that we follow,” the official highlighted.

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, Hosseini Yekta noted.

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

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.

Iran Health Insurance Organization, together with the Ministry of Health, provided important and significant services in different sectors during the past year (March 2022-March 2023).

Providing free insurance for low-income families, paying the medical expenses of infertile couples, providing services to the disabled, supporting patients with rare diseases, and providing services to foreign nationals have been done in the past year, IRNA reported.

The government has adopted policies to identify uninsured people. In this regard, the Health Insurance Organization in cooperation and interaction with the Social Security Organization was assigned to identify uninsured people, who are often from the vulnerable groups of society.

Accordingly, some 90 percent of hospitalization costs and around 70 percent of outpatient treatment costs are covered by insurance.

In this regard, by allocating 50 trillion rials (about $100 million), 107 rare diseases are covered by the health insurance fund, and with the cooperation of universities, a lion’s share of treatment costs are paid by the government.

So far, more than 31 rare and special diseases, including high blood pressure, MS, type 2 diabetes, hemodialysis, thalassemia, kidney transplant, hemophilia, diabetic retinopathy, type 1 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and autism, have been identified in the system of the Health Insurance Organization.

Articles on traditional medicine

From 2006 to 2021, the publication of Iranian articles in the field of traditional medicine has increased by about ten times, according to data released by the SCImago Journal of Traditional Medicines.

Accordingly, Iran is fourth in the world after China, India, and the U.S., IRNA reported.

The number of articles published by the country has increased from 59 in 2006 to more than 500 in 2021.

By providing the structure in the Ministry of Health, and the establishment of traditional medicine colleges in 2006, the number of articles in the field of traditional medicine increased by about 10 times in 15 years.

The Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) put the share of Iranian articles in the field of medicinal plants and herbal medicine in the world at 5.9 percent.

A plan for the integration of Iranian traditional medicine into the health network is supposed to be implemented in the first phase in 14 faculties and universities of Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, Kerman, Yazd, Kashan, Babol, Golestan, Mazandaran, Hamedan, Qom, Fasa, and Isfahan.

In case of successful implementation, other universities in the country will also be encouraged to launch the plan, she said, adding, in the next phases, the integration plan will be implemented at higher levels and in the field of treatment.

Hossein Farshidi, the deputy health minister, has said that one of the shortcomings of the country’s health network system, which has been emphasized a lot in the national development plans, is benefiting from thousands of years of experience in Persian traditional medicine.

“We all must join hands to improve Persian traditional medicine and integrate it into the country’s health network system.”

He went on to note that if primary healthcare is not paid the necessary attention as the basis of all health services, we may not be able to control the heavy burden of chronic diseases in 50 years.

The post Insurance service to be provided for traditional medicine appeared first on Iran News Daily.

“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.

A total of 227 knowledge-based firms are supplying medical equipment for health centers across the country, according to the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

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.

Some 40 percent of the country’s total pharmaceutical exports are biotechnology products, a member of the board of directors of the Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Medical Biotechnology Products said.

Iran’s biotechnology products are exported to European, Asian, and Latin American countries, and Iran’s technology can compete with other countries in this field, he further highlighted.

The export revenue of medicinal plants is estimated at $700 million, the caretaker of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, Rouhollah Dehghani, has said.

He made the remarks at the 6th National Festival and Exhibition of Medicinal Plants, Natural Products, and Iranian Traditional Medicine which was held in Tehran from November 1 to 4, 2022.

Stating that out of 2,500 medicinal plants, 1,800 of them are endemic to Iran, he emphasized that Iran with its own strong history of traditional medicine and a rich ecosystem of medicinal plants has a huge opportunity for increasing share in the national and global market.

The export revenue of medicinal plants is $700 million. However, it should be increased considering the high potential of the country, he said.

Stating that half of the country’s export revenue is related to saffron, he highlighted that this amount is not significant compared to the turnover of this industry in the world.

According to the document approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, it is predicted that there is at least $3 billion of capacity in the country in this field, and it can reach $15 billion by focusing on the peripheral technologies, he noted.

He went on to say that in recent years, it has shown that people’s approach to complementary medicine to herbal products is increasing drastically.

In this regard, the biggest support measure for knowledge-based companies is market building, in which we can develop domestic and foreign markets, he also suggested.

The post Exports of medicine forecast to triple in current year appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Accordingly, Iran is fourth in the world after China, India, and the U.S., IRNA reported.

The number of articles published by the country has increased from 59 in 2006 to more than 500 in 2021.

By providing the structure in the Ministry of Health, and the establishment of traditional medicine colleges in 2006, the number of articles in the field of traditional medicine increased by about 10 times in 15 years.

The Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) put the share of Iranian articles in the field of medicinal plants and herbal medicine in the world at 5.9 percent.

A plan for the integration of Iranian traditional medicine into the health network is supposed to be implemented in the first phase in 14 faculties and universities of Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, Kerman, Yazd, Kashan, Babol, Golestan, Mazandaran, Hamedan, Qom, Fasa, and Isfahan.

In case of successful implementation, other universities in the country will also be encouraged to launch the plan, she said, adding, in the next phases, the integration plan will be implemented at higher levels and in the field of treatment.

Hossein Farshidi, the deputy health minister, has said that one of the shortcomings of the country’s health network system, which has been emphasized a lot in the national development plans, is benefiting from thousands of years of experience in Persian traditional medicine.

“We all must join hands to improve Persian traditional medicine and integrate it into the country’s health network system.”

He went on to note that if primary healthcare is not paid the necessary attention as the basis of all health services, we may not be able to control the heavy burden of chronic diseases in 50 years.

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.

Iran’s share of species

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.

Some 2,300 species of medicinal plants have been identified in the country, accounting for one-third of the medicines used in human societies.

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 export revenue of medicinal plants is estimated at $700 million, the Vice President for Science and Technology, Rouhollah Dehghani, has said.

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

The post Iranian articles on traditional medicine surge in 15 years appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The production of medicinal plants and their economic value should be defined within a framework with a specified operational dimension, and each of the measures should be followed by the relevant institution, he added.

“We are serious about compensating the existing backlogs and we use all the material and spiritual tools and capabilities in this field,” IRNA quoted Dehghani as saying.

Several important measures, including the establishment of a medicinal plant refinery, should be followed up by the vice presidency in cooperation with executive bodies, he stressed.

One of the plans of the Ministry of Health is to compensate for medical treatment using herbal medicines.

In this line, 60 items of herbal medicines have so far been covered by insurance, Nafiseh Hosseini Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office has said.

One of the problems the patients faced was the high price of herbal medicine prescribed by medical experts, she stated.

Stating that traditional medicine should be cheap and accessible to patients, she added that gradually, other herbal medicinal items will be added to the insurance coverage.

One of the general and basic policies of the Health Ministry is the development of Persian medicine tourism, and the necessary interactions with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts have been carried out in this regard, she announced.

Iran signed three memorandums of understanding with Serbia, Venezuela, and Iraq for the development of technologies in medicinal plants, natural products, and traditional medicine.

The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the 6th National Festival and Exhibition of Medicinal Plants, Natural Products, and Iranian Traditional Medicine which was held in Tehran on November 1-4, 2022 with the presence of 240 companies.

Business delegations from Russia, Serbia, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Venezuela, Oman, India, and Gambia attended the exhibition.

Serbia, Brunei, Belarus, and Iraq were among the countries interested in meeting their needs through Iranian knowledge-based companies.

After negotiations, Serbia requested to import Iranian products, especially herbal supplements, cosmetics, and medicinal products.

Also, the result of negotiations with Iraq reached a stage where Iranian knowledge-based products in the field of medicinal plants will be exported to the neighboring country.

Brunei also announced its readiness to use Iranian knowledge-based products.

The export revenue of medicinal plants is estimated at $700 million.

Out of 2,500 medicinal plants, 1,800 of them are endemic to Iran.

The country with its own strong history of traditional medicine and a rich ecosystem of medicinal plants has a huge opportunity for increasing share in the national and global market.

National document for development

A national document has been prepared to define perspectives, macro policies, and strategies for technology development in the field of medicinal plants.

The Vice Presidency for Science and Technology is responsible for policy-making, coordination, monitoring, preparation, and formulation of operational plans, directing and following up interactions between the public and private sectors, and providing material and spiritual support for science, information, and so on.

The document seeks to achieve “20 percent of the value of the country’s medicine market by herbal medicines and natural products”, “20 percent of the market value of the country’s veterinary medicine”, and “increase exports of medicinal plants and herbal products to be among the top 10 countries in the world”, “3 percent share of the production of science in the field of medicinal plants”.

By combining the above plans, a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of the document, which includes 360 separate operational plans, has been prepared and compiled.

In Iran, the area under cultivation of medicinal plants has reached more than 250,000 hectares.

Other measures in this area include increasing the number of knowledge-based and creative companies to 700, increasing health centers to 60, and producing more than 5,000 herbal products.

The post Medicinal herbs industry needs long-term planning: VP appeared first on Iran News Daily.

He made the remarks in a meeting with representatives of international organizations residing in Iran, which was held at the Ministry of Health on Thursday.

Iran has been known for its elites since ancient times, and sanctions should not be an obstacle for Iranian scientists and young people to communicate with the world, because the world is moving towards removing the borders of knowledge, he stated.

Einollahi said in July that despite the sanctions, Iran has the strongest health system in the region.

Einollahi went on to note that throughout history, there is no record of embargoing patients, which was done to Iranian patients; It is a cowardly act that has not been customary in any culture, religion, or ritual, and we expect international organizations to show their moral mission because health should not be subject to sanctions.

Some foreign companies refuse to sell medicine and medical equipment to Iran under the influence of sanctions, which is immoral and inhumane behavior, he lamented.

He further announced readiness to share its capabilities in the field of health with the countries of the region.

Iran has become self-sufficient in the production of the COVID vaccine and in addition to meeting domestic needs, it has started exporting to other countries and is ready to provide vaccines needed by different countries with the cooperation of international organizations, he highlighted.

Einollahi said in July that despite the sanctions that have existed since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution until today to prevent the country from progressing, Iran has the strongest health system in the region.

Despite the cowardly sanctions, especially in the field of medical equipment and medicine, our country was one of the successful nations in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, and now that other countries are experiencing high rates of daily coronavirus mortality, including the United States, Iran’s daily covid deaths declined to single-digit numbers or zero.

Iran’s health sector and development

Based on innovative indicators of health technology development in 2021, Iran was ranked 60th among 132 countries, which shows an improvement of 60 steps compared to 2014, the deputy health minister for research and technology, has announced.

A total of 1,670 knowledge-based firms are operating in the health sector, ISNA quoted Younes Panahi as saying.

He added that there are 13 science and technology parks and 95 technology growth centers in the field of health, while 343 technological products have so far been licensed, and 335 inventions in medical sciences have been patented.

The health technology development is evaluated by the Global Innovation Index with seven indicators, including institutional structure, human capital and research, infrastructure, market and business complexity, technological knowledge, and creativity, he explained.

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.

“At the outset of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Islamic Republic of Iran made its primary health care system a core part of its national response. This PHC infrastructure allowed systematic outreach activities for early case detection, contact tracing, and triage for hospital referral (if necessary) by community health workers.

The post Intl. organizations should help remove sanctions on medicine: health minister appeared first on Iran News Daily.