TEHRAN – Health Insurance Week will be held across the country from October 25th to 31st with the theme “Health Insurance, a People’s Consensus for a Healthier Iran”.
The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Act came into force on October 25, 1994.
It focuses on a variety of issues, including the role of health insurance in ensuring financial protection against health costs and safe and sustainable societies, public health prevention and promotion, rare and difficult-to-treat diseases and health insurance support, healthy families, transparency, innovation and emerging technologies, intersectoral collaboration to improve social determinants of health, and social justice in access to health services.
Each day of the week will focus on a specific topic.
October 25th (Saturday) “Health Insurance” Economic Protection of People, Sustainable Community Health”
October 26th (Sunday) “Health Insurance” Prevention and Realizing Justice in Health”
Monday, October 27th “Health insurance” supports life expectancy of patients with difficult-to-treat diseases”
Tuesday, October 28th, “Health Insurance” Healthy Families, Powerful Society”
Wednesday, October 29th “Health Insurance” Transparency and Innovation. A bright future.”
Tuesday, October 30th, “Health Insurance” Inter-Sector Cooperation, Public Support”
October 31st (Friday) “Health insurance, security for the socially vulnerable”
More than 50 percent of the country’s population is covered by health insurance, but the organization needs government and parliamentary support to deepen services, implement resource pooling, clinical guidelines, family physicians, referral systems, and outdated legislation such as electronic health records to improve the quality of service and reduce out-of-pocket costs for the insured.
Iran is a regional leader in health systems
The Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) said that Iran is a leading country in expanding its health system and providing access to universal health coverage.
According to the Ministry of Health’s website, Hanan Balki praised Iran’s achievements in recent years, saying that by expanding primary health care services, increasing access to health insurance in rural areas, maintaining high vaccination rates, and reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates, Iran has been able to become a successful example in the region.
The official made the remarks during a meeting with Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarkandi on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), which was held from May 19 to June 27 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The country’s commitment to providing equal health care to millions of refugees makes its services even more commendable.
WHO EMRO is working closely with Iranian regulatory bodies to achieve regulatory maturity level 3 of the drug regulatory system, paving the way for broader export of Iranian health-oriented products to the global market. It will also contribute to promoting global health security, Balki added.
The Iranian delegation led by Zafarqandi participated in the 78th WHA held in Geneva, Switzerland from May 19 to June 27.
Focusing on the 2025 theme ‘One World for Health’, WHA78 brought together high-level international representatives to address health challenges. This year’s meeting comes at a critical time for global health, as Member States face new threats and major changes in the global health and international development landscape.
MT/MG