The Minister of Health Emphasizes the Change of Behavior in People

Pointing that the subject of health cannot be exhibited, The Minister of Health and Medical Education emphasized the need for making changes in the behavior of people through the implementation of cultural programs.

According to WEBDA, in the meeting of Modern Health-Care Network Completion Program in metropolitan cities, held in Mashhad, Dr. Seyed Hasan Hashemi stated that the Health Network is being established across the country except for a part of the country, mainly Tehran. He added that the Health Network started in the country in the year 1974 and expanded in all rural areas after the victory of the Islamic Revolution with the efforts of health workers. This network, which is today being implemented in all urban areas of the country, resulted in many achievements.

He pointed that previously, only the rural population of the country was actively covered by health-care services, and these services were delivered in urban areas inactively. He pointed out that by the creation of the Network System in urban areas and metropolitan cities, health-care services are scheduled to be delivered to people actively.

The Minister of Health and Medical Education stated that prevention of non-communicable diseases is among the greatest achievements of the Network System in rural areas and emphasized that health-care providers in urban areas are expected to act like health workers and put more effort into the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, weight gain, and improved mental health.

Establishment of 2664 Bases and 1283 Comprehensive Health Service Centers

Pointing to measures taken for the extension of access into services in the country, Dr. Hashemi stated that in this regard, 2500 Health Houses, 2664 Health Centers, and 1283 Comprehensive Health Service Centers have so far been established and 19 thousand health workers have been employed.

He stated that health per capita was previously 230 thousand Rials and added that this amount has now increased to 940 to 960 thousand Rials, which is indicative of the efforts of the authorities of the ministry and the country in the expansion of health-care services.

According to the Minister of Health and Medical Education, access into health indices is impossible without the concept of prevention. He stated that with the measures taken, life expectancy has increases by 5 year and it has reached 80 and 79 years in women and men respectively.

Dr. Hashemi emphasized that the more the government and the media take the issue of health into consideration, the higher becomes the health indices of people. He stated that a country without a healthy workforce certainly cannot have successful performance in other areas.

He congratulated the authorities of Khorasan Razavi Province on the establishment of Modern Health-care Services and stated that as a result of the presence of pilgrims in the Holly Shrine of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Al-Reza (AS) and Hazrat Fatemeh Masoumeh (AS), special services are offered in the Holly Mashhad and Qom. Therefore, a special consideration is needed in these two cities.

The Outcome of Measures Taken Is the Basis Which Must Be Taken Into Consideration

The Minister of Health and Medical Education emphasized that the establishment of health centers, comprehensive health services centers, and employment of workforce are only part of the measures taken. He pointed out that hereafter measures taken regarding the decrease of diseases and the increase of people’s health indices are of high significance, and health providers as well as health workers must reach this goal through connections with the population under cover.

Emphasizing the need for education and monitoring on the agenda of health providers, Dr. Hashemi stated that the outcome of measures taken is the basis, and the amount of success in decreasing diabetic diseases and blood pressure and also preventing weight gain must be assessed after a few years from the beginning of this project.