Rendition of Primary Healthcare in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Experience, Opportunities, Challenges and Future Roadmap

This article presents 40 years of experience in the process of developing primary healthcare. It also addresses the opportunities and challenges ahead and outlines the roadmap for the future.

A literature review was undertaken, recording, documenting and using available scientific resources.

Positive points and opportunities at the onset, and especially in the first decade after the revolution were noted. Training medical technicians, evidence based policymaking, need-based education, simple statistical system, international organization support, formulation of a roadmap for quantitative and qualitative development of the program considering  ecological conditions of each region, use of the quantitative scientific capacity of medical universities to exploit human resources and improve services rendered, proper guidance and supervision were undertaken. This led to a significant improvement in health indicators, particularly in reducing maternal and child mortality rate, eradication and elimination or control of communicable diseases, decreasing total fertility rate and increasing life expectancy.
Shortcomings and challenges included failure to implement family medicine planning , failure to organize the whole referral system, lack of timely change in structure and implementing programs based on community needs. Lack of full use of information technology in the statistical system, change in approaches and management with changing governments and managers, lack of public participation programs and weakness in cross-sectoral partnerships necessitate further planning .In this regard, suggestions are presented as a roadmap for future development of the healthcare system.

Primary healthcare was established through research in the Islamic Republic of Iran and it grew by commitment and planning, especially in rural villages; however, it needs serious reconstruction in order to preserve what has been achieved.