Health sector reform in Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract: Health sector reform is an absolute necessity to make the health system more responsive to community needs. In Iran, activities on health sector reform have been carried out since about six years ago. This article uses expert opinion and the global experience to define the main principles and goals of health sector reform, compare the situation in Islamic Republic of Iran with that in other countries, show areas of strength and weakness and find the way ahead. So far, health sector reform in Iran has answered some critical questions, carried out many vital studies and published several effectual books and reports. More importantly, it has created a common language among policy-makers, legislative bodies, managers and experts. Yet, it hasn’t found the chance to translate these ideas into action, never enjoyed full political commitment, and has relied entirely upon financial and technical support from WHO/EMRO plus a small part of the second World Bank loan. This article concludes with some recommendations to pave the way for the future: notably to continue with applied research projects using local resources and foreign assistance, especially by implementing newly developed models in multiple pilot areas.