Title: Participatory Health Policy-Making in IRAN,:Reflection on the Experience after the Revolution, within the Legal Pyramid Framework

The aim of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is to ensure receiving essential health services without financial hardship. Good governance in the health system guarantees success in UHC. Meaningful public participation in the health policy-making cycle is one of the vital and challenging aspects of good health governance. Considering the role and importance of legislation in formation and sustainability of participatory decision-making and good governance approach in the health sector, this study endeavors to survey the alignment of the 1st-6th development plans with the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) Constitution regarding public participation approach in the health sector since 1989.

This study is designed and implemented as a qualitative Study. Data was extracted from legal documents including the development plan laws from 1989-2016, and IRI Constitution Law approved in 1989 and its subsequent amendments. Content analysis was carried out in a summative method.

During the years under review, governments have always received the necessary legal mandate in their program to attract public financial participation in the construction sector or to pay part of health care costs, which is in accordance with the 29th Article of the Constitution based on health rights for the Iranian population. According to various constitutional principles such as; Paragraph eight of the third principle, paragraph three of the forty-third principle and the one-hundredth principle, the engagement of the population in identifying issues and making appropriate decisions in the administration of the country, including the health sector, is recognize, but there is no legislation in the government development plans to implement these laws.

Despite the emphasis on upstream legislation and the existence of two structures, the High Council for Health and Food Security, the High Council for Health Insurance at the national level and the Islamic town and village councils at the local level, governments have focused on participatory budgeting in health rather than participatory policymaking, during the years under review in this study. Given the importance of social participation in health sector decisions in eliminating or reducing inequalities in use of health services, suggestions for the government and Ministry of Health and Medical Education are represented