Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has made great progress in various fields, especially science, technology, health care, and infrastructure. Despite sanctions and economic pressure, this country has advanced nuclear energy, space technology, and medical research, and has become a regional leader of scientific innovation.
Although the issues remain, Iran’s commitment to scientific development continues to form the future at a global stage.
After the Islamic Revolution, Iran has made great progress in medical care, such as increased life expectancy, eradication of polio, specialized medical training and treatment progress, and has made the country a local leader of health services.
Iranian healthcare systems have made significant changes since the Islamic Revolution due to significant improvements in medical education, disease management, and medical services. There are some important results here:
Increased life expectancy:
Iran’s average life expectancy has increased by 21 years and has increased to 76.2 55 years ago.
From a foreign -dependent health care to a medical tourist hub:
Before the revolution, 30 % of Iranian doctors were foreign experts in Bangladesh, Philippines, India and Pakistan.
Today, 53 patients travel to Iran for treatment, and the government is training experts in 27 medical fields.
Expansion of rural health care:
More than 35,000 healthcare professionals work in 19,739 villages to support the national healthcare system.
Before the revolution, the only healthcare center was 1,500 villages.
Eradication of polio and disease management:
Polio has been completely eradicated in Iran through a national polio vaccination campaign with 95 % of coverage, but neighboring countries are still suffering from it.
Infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and cholera are currently under control.
Medical education boom:
In 1979, Iran had only seven medical schools with 700 students.
Today, there are 47 medical universities, 180,000 medical students, and 11,000 teachers, which are 16 times from the level before the revolution.
Outstanding heart surgery:
Iran is currently one of the world’s leading countries in heart surgery, one of the few countries that is doing heart transplantation.
To date, at least 140 heart transplants have been implemented in Iran.
World class corneal bank:
Iran’s corneal bank is one of the best in the world and offers corneal transplantation within 24 hours.
Medical expert growth:
The number of specialized doctors has been 10 times to at least 72,000 today from 7,000 before the revolution.
Access to essential drugs:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80 % to 94 % of Iranian population has accessed essential drugs, ensuring a wide range of healthcare compensation.
These major achievements are positioned by Iran as a regional leader of medical and public health, indicating the impact of the Islamic Revolution on healthcare development.
By Mohaddeseh Pakravan