Tehran – Iran will deploy a comprehensive management system dedicated to medical tourism across the country following the success of its pilot programme in Khorasan Razavi province.
According to Hossein Nikounam, head of the Khorasan Razavi Health Tourism Association, the comprehensive system will be implemented from the beginning of the year of Iran (1404), which begins on March 21st. Its success made implementation a national mandatory in early 1404. ”
Nikonam highlighted key challenges affecting Iran’s health tourism industry, including political and security tensions, flight cancellations and negative media campaigns. “These factors saw a 30% decrease in medical tourism in 1403 compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the diversity of medical tourism has decreased, with 85% now coming from Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, primarily due to the geographical proximity and religious tourism in Mashhad.
Inconsistencies in official statistics further complicate the situation. Nikonam noted that some government agencies count foreigners who have lived in Iran for more than six months as medical tourists for more than six months, distorting the actual numbers.
Religious and national holiday impacts
Iran’s health tourism sector has experienced fluctuations during its religious and national holidays. During Ramadan, the number of medical tourists usually decreases as many patients in the majority of neighboring Muslim countries postpone treatment. Similarly, Nowruz (Persian New Year) holidays have seen a decline in foreign patients’ visits due to hospital closures and doctors’ leave.
To address these challenges, hospitals and health tourism companies are being urged to ensure access to health professionals due to emergencies and continue to provide free services to important patients during peak holiday seasons.
The need for a unified strategy
Nikonam emphasized that the lack of coordination between major government agencies, including the Ministry of Health, Tourism and Foreign Affairs, is a major obstacle to the development of Iran’s health and tourism industry.
He further noted that over 80% of sector issues stems from domestic mismanagement rather than international sanctions or security concerns. One pressing issue is the burden of public hospitals where Iranian patients face long waits for mandatory surgeries while foreign medical tourists are receiving prompt treatment. Redirecting foreign patients to private hospitals can reduce this burden and drive industry growth.
For sustainable development, Niconam urged policymakers to streamline the management process, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, and maximize the potential of private healthcare institutions.
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