Equity in Iran's Health System

One of the important goals in health policy is to ensure equity in health. Equity in health means absence of systematic and potentially remediable differences in one or more aspects of health in a population and economic, social, demographic and geographic subgroups.

This study was conducted by reviewing available scientific literature and texts and examining articles, theses, reports and resources available in internal and external databases and the conference held by the Academy of Medical Sciences by using relevant

  Analysis of the studies showed that the progress of the index of the policies of the health sector has not been able to create a significant change in the direction of improving equity. Discrimination in service coverage, gender discrimination, access to services in remote areas and lack of health services in low-income groups still exist despite the 40-year achievements of the revolution and emphasis on this issue in the first to fifth development programs. Although the transformation plan was able to reduce costs of inpatient services, the costs of justice in financial participation and the index of health costs of the poor is high.

Recurring budget deficit in the health sector shows the instability of the financial resources of this sector. The inconsistencies between the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the Ministry of Economy and Welfare are effective in not achieving justice in health.One of the approaches to improve indicators and control costs in all societies, whether rich or poor, is management of limited health resources. According to the law of the fifth development plan, full implementation of the family physician program, the referral system, and expansion of insurance coverage can help improve equity in health and reduce costs for the public.