Role and share of Iranian governmental organizations in public's health

Objective (s): Intersectoral cooperation and community participation are two key strategies to establish justice in health. According to the Iranian 4th Development Plan, the Supreme Council of Health and Food Security of Iran was established in order to promote health through organized intersectoral cooperation. This study aimed to specify the role that related organizations share. This was a descriptive qualitative study. In order to reveal the role of organizations, legal documents, expert opinions (based on focus group discussion method), and structured interview with members of permanent commission of the Supreme Council of Health and Food Security were carried out. To identify the contribution share, the voting of key informant method including members of the Parliament’s Health Commission and some public health specialists was obtained. Eventually, agreement rate of organizations with identified contributions was designated through interviewing members of the permanent commission of Supreme Council of Health and Food Security. The analysis indicated the following shares as it related to Iranians’ health: Ministry of Health 13% -17%; Ministry of Welfare and Social Security, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, The Home Ministry, Department of Environmental of Islamic Republic of Iran all together more than 50%. The findings suggest that Ministry of Health is not the only organization that is responsible for health. Indeed other organizations as indicated should take responsibility for people’s health in Iran.