TEHRAN – A scheme offering 24-hour healthcare services will be implemented in the country from March 16 to April 6 during the Iranian New Year holidays (Noruz), the deputy health minister has announced.

“All emergency operation centers and universities of medical sciences will stay on duty during the whole days and nights,” IRNA quoted Qasem Janbabaei as saying on Saturday.

He went on to say that necessary coordination has been made with the Medical Council, Social Security Organization, Armed Forces and the Red Crescent Society to provide better medical services to the passengers during the New Year holidays.

One of the main problems we face each year is the lack of general practitioners, he regretted, adding, while we try to compensate for the shortage by the medical forces and even hospital managers joining the team.

Moreover, private hospitals must be operational using the whole emergency capacities and 50 percent of the hospital’s capacity, he stated, adding that all day care centers are required to be active throughout the day.

Universities of medical sciences are supposed to set up mobile treatment centers in different parts of the provinces and provide people with medical care as well as dentistry services, he noted.

“All emergency fleet must be at service during 22 days of holidays,” Janbabaei concluded.

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