During the recent months health care costs have been increased significantly in Iran according to the official released reports. This is mainly because of the sanctions applied by the United States and European Union over Iran’s economy. Although these embargoes have not targeted Iran’s health sector but local companies cannot purchase facilities and necessary medicines from foreign countries due to existing difficulties in banking transactions.
“Actually the price of medical facilities has been increased by three times in Iran, and in some cases it is more than hundred times.” said Seyed Taghi Noorbakhsh, the head of Iranian Orthopedist Association. Recently Iranian Dental Association released a new report about the increasing costs of medical facilities. “Unfortunately citizens must pay these high prices. The government doesn’t assist importers in this field and insurance companies don’t cover dental services.” Ali Tajernia, the head of Dental Association, said.
Chairman of the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission Hossein Ali Shahriari confirms these reports by saying “The prices of medical facilities are increasing on daily basis. In this case, government has cut its portion from costs and Iranians must pay more than 70% of medical services by their own.”
Authorities have asked the government to increase its budget for health sector and allocate more finance to hospitals in order to reduce health care costs.