Minister: Iran can be a health hub for regional countries

The health minister says Iran can render health services to as many as 400 million people living in this region.

Dr. Hassam Hashemi made the remark on Sunday in a gathering of foreign-based Iranian ambassadors and added that Iran’s health system is among the leading systems in the region. The following is the translation of what else the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) quoted the minister as saying in the gathering:

The minister said that Iran’s health system is capable of offering services to as many as 80 million Iranians and cover a population of between 150 and 400 million living in regional countries, adding that Iran – in cooperation with its partners in this region – should turn into a regional hub for people to receive treatment.

Over the past two years, the Government of Prudence and Hope, the Foreign Ministry and the foreign minister have managed to “negotiate one of the revolution’s most insurmountable passes”, building on the guidelines of the Supreme Leader and advice of the president, he said, adding that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) [Iran has inked with P5+1) is not a small achievement and that the posterity will pass better judgment on the Iran nuclear deal.

Dr. Hashemi went on to say that the Foreign Ministry carried out its own responsibility and now the onus is on parliament and other agencies to put this big achievement to good use. “The Health Ministry will seize the opportunity that will open up in the post-sanctions era to upgrade the health services it renders to the public.”

The minister then touched upon the Healthcare Transformation Plan and said that over the past two years his ministry rode out a pharmaceutical crisis by implementing the giant healthcare plan, adding that as many as 2,000 Health Houses were built across the country, the ministry overcame the shortages of physicians in towns with a population of less than 20,000, and around 6,000-7,000 specialists were dispatched to less developed areas in the country.

Fringe dwelling triggered by drought and war is a headache for the country, he said, adding that his ministry has offered health coverage to about nine million fringe dwellers by implementing the Healthcare Transformation Plan.

The health minister also said that foreign investors can now seize multiple opportunities inside Iran and put their money into building hospitals and health system infrastructure, adding that foreign investment should be in line with the country’s policies of ensuring Iran’s independence and cutting its dependence [on others].

Iran can make maximal use of post-sanctions conditions by importing the know-how on the health front, he said.

Dr. Hashemi concluded that the country should take steps toward bringing in the technical know-how so that it can make progress and maintain its independence.