Isn’t it the Time for Working on Public Health Guidance in Health System of Iran?

Considering epidemiologic and demographic transition, chronic diseases management approach has been important recently. It is estimated that the aging population in the world would be increased over the next 25 years by more than 80% on which major contribution would be in the developing countries and increasing burden of diseases could be resulted. Nowadays, major causes of death in the world are due to cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and other chronic diseases, of which 80% of the mortalities are due to these diseases occurring in low and middle-income countries. Chronic diseases haven’t been concerned properly in spite of being preventable, As Horton pointed: “Many common conditions remain marginal to the mainstream of global action on health. Chronic diseases are among these neglected conditions.” The 2002 World Health Organization report titling “Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life,” has stated that it must be more emphasized that prevention of major risk-factors. In order to maintain and improve health in addition to treating diseases; and the best way for this, could be coordinated efforts to identifying, reducing common risks and taking advantage of opportunities that are provided to prevention of this risk-factors. Since one risk-factor could be involved in several diseases, making intervention on that for reducing the frequency and severity of its impact, the Community and Preventive Medicine Specialist, Center for Academic and Health Policy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Correspondence to: Dr. Azadeh Sayarifard, #12 East Nosrat Ave., Northkargar, Center for Academic and Health Policy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: [email protected] Date of Submission: Nov 19, 2012