The Inauguration of the Modern Health-Care Network Project at Mashhad Metropolitan

The Modern Health-Care Network Completion Project in metropolitan cities was inaugurated in the metropolitan city of Mashhad with the presence of the Minister of Health and Medical Education.

According to WEBDA, this project was symbolically inaugurated in Sadaf Comprehensive Health-Care Services Center (located in Vakilabad Boulevard of Mashhad) and also in 5 other health-care centers of this metropolitan city in the form of videoconferencing with the presence of Dr. Hasan Hashemi, the Minister of Health and Medical Education, Dr. Mehrabi Bahar, the Administrator of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Rashidian, the Governor of Khorasan Razavi, and a number of university and provincial deputies and directors.

The Health System Reform Plan in the area of hygiene has come into force since 3 years ago in the form of 15 prevention, hygiene and health programs, and 10 backup programs in the area of health of universities of medical sciences across the country. The Modern Health-Care Network Completion Project in metropolitan cities is among the programs of the Health System Reform Plan.

Delivery of modern health-care services has so far come into force in cities with a population of below 20 thousand, rural areas, cities with a population of 50 to 500 thousand, and suburbs of Mashhad. With the help of measures and planning taken since last year, after the metropolitan city of Mashhad joined this service collection, the Modern Health-Care Network was completed in areas affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.

According to Head of Network Development and Health Promotion Center of Department of Health of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, this plan is aimed at enhancing ease of access to health-care and prevention services. He pointed out that in this plan, modern health-care services have been made active for the target population.

Dr. Mohammad Hasan Derakhshan stated that 70 percent of the population covered by Mashhad University of Medical Sciences reside in urban areas and 90 percent of this population reside in Mashhad. He added that the holy city of Mashhad is the second metropolitan city of the country after Tehran, and with the completion of the Modern Health-care Network in this city, a big step will be taken towards public health promotion and disease prevention.

He stated that in April last year, the Modern Health-care Service Delivery Plan was launched in the suburbs of Mashhad and 1 million 250 thousand people were covered by this plan after its implementation. He pointed out that the central core of Mashhad with a population of 2 million is scheduled to be covered by these services at this stage.

Dr. Derakhshan stated that all the comprehensive health service centers and health bases and centers in the center of Mashhad are currently active and the required workforce is employed and trained.

He highlighted that in addition to health-care professionals, nutritionists and psychologists will attend the Modern Health-care Services Plan and provide people with services if necessary.

Pointing to changes of the type of diseases from communicable to non-communicable and increased development of this group of diseases, Dr. Derakhshan stated that the presence of nutritionists and psychologists is a big step towards increased community health.

Head of Network Development and Health Promotion Center of Department of Health of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences pointed out that like other projects of the Health System Reform Plan, the holy Mashhad is once again the first metropolitan city of the country in which the Modern Health-care Network is completed.