Role and performance of Iranian NGOs in community health promotion

Objective (s): The NGOs act as a potential system for public health promotion. These voluntary organizations are non-profitable and independent from state (self-governing), but serving people. In this way they are called public voice. The NGOs are considered to be the symbol and intermediary of public contribution; while public contribution is a main branch of health promotion, poverty and inequity decline in public health. This study was carried out to review the role and operation of Iranian NGOs in provision, maintenance and promotion of public health in order to design an interaction model of the NGOs with health sector trustees in the state. Of 10000 registered NGOs in Iran with interest in health, 1000 NGOs were chosen. Of these 97 NGOs were selected as the study sample. Data were collected through random selection from all provinces using a questionnaire by 9 trained examiners. The results obtained from analysis in function and capacity showed that NGOs knew needs of target group but in most cases discovering these needs has been based on the group meetings or founding board ideas and hardly followed scientific principles of assessment. Most NGOS offered third level prevention care. Most NGOs believed that success in training and providing health care, prevention and advisory interventions were more satisfactory than working governmental sectors (working with the state, participation in jurisdictional and legal trend). The result while revealing capabilities of NGOs to deliver educational and advisory services, warns the public sector decision makers (the state) that inexploiting the potential capacity of those systems retards developing process of the country.