Evaluation of Health Sector in the 5-year Socioeconomic and Cultural Cevelopment Plans of Iran

Hadi Abbasian; Abbas Kebriaeizadeh; Mahdi Toroski; Saman Zartab

doi:10.18502/jppm.v9i4.14607

Hadi Abbasian Department of pharmacoeconomics and pharmaceutical Administration, School of pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abbas Kebriaeizadeh Department of pharmacoeconomics and pharmaceutical Administration, School of pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mahdi Toroski Department of pharmacoeconomics and pharmaceutical Administration, School of pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Saman Zartab Department of pharmacoeconomics and pharmaceutical Administration, School of pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jppm.v9i4.14607

Keywords: health policy; development plans; health system

Abstract

Background: Development is a mainstream that enhances the improvement and promotion of the socio-economic structure and system of a country. Maintaining and improving the level of community health is considered necessary for any action in the economic and social planning. Health has been one of the most basic human needs since its social life. Accordingly, the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as the main upstream document, regards health as a "universal right" and obliges the governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran to plan for the realization of this right.

Method: In this qualitative study, using the adaptive method and content analysis technique, each of Iranian six development plans approved after Islamic Revolution has investigated.

Results: Health played very limited roles in the first and second development plans. The mainstream health policy in the first and second plans was the development of public health through the development of healthcare centers. Sections related to the health sector were enhanced in the third development plan. The main orientation of this plan was to increase the efficiency and reform of health system structure. In the fourth and fifth development plans, health sector policies aimed at promoting justice in access to health services and improving fairness of financial contribution. The quantitative and qualitative development of health insurance and the implementation of stratification & referral system are the major goals of the sixth plan.

Conclusion: In the first three development plans, there is no comprehensive overview of the plan, and most of the articles have service aspects and have not promoted to the policy level. In the later development plans, the approach of the plan has changed, and it is aimed at achieving equity in access to health services and improving the fairness of financial contribution.