National document on rare diseases drafted

TEHRAN – A comprehensive document on rare diseases has been drafted in a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Health and NGOs active in this field, head of the transplantation and treatment of diseases department at the Ministry of Health has announced.

Health Ministry teaches disaster preparedness to 2.5m families 

TEHRAN — The Iranian Health Ministry has taught disaster preparedness to 2.5 million families in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (starting on March 21, 2018), Mohammad Esmaeil Motlaq, an advisor the ministry has said.

“DiaCare” national diabetes survey to get underway in Iran 

TEHRAN — A national diabetes survey entitled “DiaCare” will come on stream in Iran, aiming to combat and prevent the adverse effects of non-communicable disease, Afshin Ostovar, the Health Ministry’s director for non-communicable diseases has said. 

National document on sexual health training being prepared

TEHRAN – The national document on sexual health education and training is being prepared by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, Tasnim reported on Tuesday.

Marriage rates falling by 5% annually, says health official 

TEHRAN — The rate of marriage is dropping by 5 percent annually in Iran, director general for population health and family office at the Ministry of Health has said. 

60 tons of hazardous medical waste pile up daily in southern Tehran

TEHRAN – Some 60 tons of medical waste containing infectious toxic substances, is being stockpiled daily on Arad mountain in Kahrizak, southern part of the capital, deputy supervisor for Tehran City Council Afshin Habibzadeh has announced.

Health Ministry providing services to 12,500 HIV/AIDS patients

TEHRAN — The Iranian Health Ministry is providing healthcare services to some 12,500 patients suffering HIV/AIDS nationwide, head of communicable diseases center at the ministry has said.

Ministry of Health to implement plans meeting elderly’s needs

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Health is developing and implementing various short-term and long-term plans to respond to the needs of elderly citizens, deputy health minister for nursing has said.

Iran plans to slash maternal deaths by 55% within 12 years

TEHRAN – Iran plans to decrease maternal mortality rate of 20 to 8.7 per 100,000 live births by the next 12 years, a decrease of about 55 percent, Nasrin Changizi, head of the maternal health department at the Ministry of Health has said.

Breast cancer, most common, increasing among Iranian women

TEHRAN – Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Iranian women and about 14 thousand cases are added to the number of patients with breast cancer in the country annually, head of the cancer prevention department of the Ministry of Health, Ali Qanbari, said here on Saturday.

Free screening tests, healthcare services for MPS disorder

TEHRAN —Iran’s Ministry of Health has planned on performing screening test for mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) to provide the patients with free of charge healthcare services, ISNA reported on Friday.

Rabies incurs $42m on Iran each year

TEHRAN – Rabies, an infectious viral disease spread to people through animal bites, impose health economic burden amounting to 1.8 trillion rials (about $42 million) on the country annually, head of zoonotic diseases department at the Ministry of Health has said.

Iran’s Noncommunicable Diseases Committee receives UNIATF award

TEHRAN — The UN Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (UNIATF) award went to the Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) Committee of Iran’s Ministry of Health for making an outstanding contribution to NCD prevention and control.

Medical tourist arrivals in Iran doubles in spring

TEHRAN –  Medical tourist arrivals in the country has nearly doubled in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year, corresponding to spring 2018, from a year earlier, said an official with the Ministry of Health.

Mammography clinics, cancer detection centers to be inaugurated in months

TEHRAN – Some 50 mammography clinics and early cancer detection centers will be opened at universities of medical sciences nationwide over the next few months, an official with the Ministry of Health has said.

Scheme providing free dental services to be implemented in schools

TEHRAN – A scheme providing dental health services to sixth-grade students will be implemented by the upcoming school year (starting on September 23) nationwide, deputy health minister has said.

3,000 foreign students studying at Iranian medical universities

TEHRAN — Some 3,000 international students are studying at Iranian medical sciences universities run by the Ministry of Health, the deputy health minister for educational affairs has said.

Iran exports medical equipment to 55 countries worldwide

TEHRAN – Some 105 medical equipment produced by 23 Iranian companies are exported to 55 countries across the world, Reza Masaeli, an advisor to the health minister said on Sunday.

Iranians use of herbal medicine increases by 1.5 percent

TEHRAN – The amount of herbal medicine consumption in Iran has increased by 1.5 percent, head of the natural products department at Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said.

Iran spends over $11m on thalassemia annually

TEHRAN – A total of 490 billion rials (nearly $11 million) is spent on thalassemia annually in Iran, deputy director of the health insurance organization, affiliated with the Health Ministry, has said.

11 state-run cochlear implant centers active in Iran

TEHRAN — Eleven governmental cochlear implant centers are currently active in Iran, said the head of the department of hearing health affiliated with the Ministry of Health.

55,000 international students studying in Iran

TEHRAN — Some 55,000 international students are studying in Iranian universities, Hassan Salar-Amoli, deputy science minister has said.

Autism screening pilot scheme to launch in Iran

TEHRAN – An autism screening program will be piloted in a collaborative initiative between the Welfare Organization and the Special Education Organization by September 23 in Isfahan province, Mohammad Taqi Jaghtaei, an advisor to the Ministry of Health has said.

Health Ministry on track to improve school HIV prevention programs

TEHRAN — Iran’s Ministry of Health aims to promote HIV prevention program at schools to inform young people about HIV, the chairwoman of HIV/AIDS department at the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

JICA funds medical, environment projects in Iran

TEHRAN — Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed two grant agreements with Iran’s Health Ministry and Tehran Municipality to provide grant aid for medical testing and treatment equipment as well as improvement of equipment for air pollution analysis here on Sunday.

By Afshin Majlesi

‘Cost-effective, quality medical tourism services atop agenda’

TEHRAN – A significant new element of a growing trade in healthcare has involved the movement of patients across borders in the pursuit of medical treatment and health; a phenomenon commonly termed “medical tourism.