TEHRAN – The deputy health minister has said that cooperation among organizations is necessary for the successful implementation of Family Physician Program.

Insurance and policymaker bodies as well as governor general departments and universities should boost collaboration to help carry out the program appropriately, IRNA quoted Sajjad Razavi as saying.

Cooperation between the ministry of health and other organizations that are responsible in the implementation of Family Physician Program, such as Social Security Organization, Health Insurance, and Planning and Budget Organization, is necessary, he added.

The health ministry started the Family Physician Program in cities and villages with a population of less than 20,000 individuals in June 2025.

The program will gradually target other parts of the country as well, ISNA quoted Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi as saying.

“It is a large-scale program based on social behavior change. Designing new patient pathways, reforming the referral pattern, and improving the healthcare network system requires careful coordination between the Health Ministry, governors, and other relevant institutions at the provincial level,” IRIB quoted Zafarqandi as saying.

So, it is absolutely essential to develop a national headquarters headed by the President to oversee the overall management of the program, he added.

“We have already reached agreements on ten key issues such as financial resources, location, implementation stages, and public information. Moreover, the chancellors of medical sciences universities will hold a meeting this week to finalize the implementation model for the program,” Zafarqandi noted.

The rural family physician program started in 2005. Back then, it also targeted villages and cities inhabited by fewer than twenty thousand individuals to make treatment referrals more concentrated and provide more convenient access to health services, ISNA reported.

Periodic examinations and monitoring of people’s health status, easy and round-the-clock access to basic services and primary care, and frequent visits to doctors are the characteristics of a family physician.

Medical, dental, mental, midwifery, nutrition, laboratory, pharmaceutical, and medical imaging are among the offered services by the program.

Based on the Family Physician Program, a physician and a midwife offer services in rural areas, every 3,300 villagers have a physician, and there is a midwife per 5,200 people in villages.

The deputy health minister, Alireza Raeisi, has said the World Health Organization is a strategic partner and a norm-setting reference for the country's health sector.

The World Health Organization is at the heart of health system transformation, and it plays a crucial role in raising standards and strengthening national capacities, Raeisi stressed.

The official made the remarks on Tuesday in a meeting with Awad Mataria, the new WHO representative in Iran.

"The future path for cooperation should concentrate on jointly creating solutions that would address domestic as well as regional needs, rather than just providing support."

Speaking from experience, institutional respect, mutual trust, and strategic alignment lead to sustainable and effective outcomes in the health system, the health ministry's website quoted Raeisi as saying. 

The official went on to enumerate the strategic health priorities of the country, including youth population,  family physician and referral system,  guided self-care, and social factors affecting health.

The youth population is a driving force in public health and national development. Investment in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health has the highest long-term returns, he added.

The effective implementation of the family physician program plays a decisive role in improving the quality of services,  lowering unnecessary costs, and boosting equity in access to health services.

Guided self-care is an important factor that contributes to boosting family resilience and alleviates pressure on healthcare systems. And WHO technical support is a strategic necessity in localization frameworks and standardization of services, Raeisi highlighted.

Mataria, for his part, highlighted the importance of healthy cities as the main platform for achieving health equity and reducing inequalities.  Appropriate urban design, sustainable transportation, and a healthy environment have a direct impact on the quality of life and public health.

The official considered aging an opportunity for sustainable development, stating that “Investing in primary health care, preventing chronic diseases, and strengthening social support for the elderly are among the requirements of future health systems.

Referring to the role of health economics, the official said that sustainable decision-making in the health sector requires cost-effectiveness analysis and prioritization of interventions based on economic and social returns. By linking healthy cities, healthy aging, and health economics, the region’s health systems will be more resilient and efficient.

On December 21, Mataria held a meeting with Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi.

The two sides discussed ways to boost cooperation, focusing on synergy between WHO policies and national policy documents in the health sector, the health ministry’s website reported.

The WHO programs must be developed and implemented in accordance with the country’s macro health policies, development plans, and priorities declared by the Ministry of Health, Zafarqandi highlighted.

The official considered it important for the WHO office to utilize regional and global capacities and transfer successful experiences of other countries to improve Iran’s health system.

The collaboration between the health ministry and the WHO is expected to empower the country and boost the health system’s resilience and preparedness, particularly in times of crisis and emergencies, through attracting support and technical assistance, Zafarqandi noted.

Mataria, for his part, reaffirmed his commitment to the enhancement of cooperation, underscoring that he will make every effort to realize the expectations of Iran’s health ministry.