Expanding the health care in deprived areas in Iran:policies and challenges

Health is the axis of the social, economic, political and cultural development of all human societies and has particular importance in the development of the infrastructure of different sections of society. The final goal of any country's health care system is to improve the health of its people. Equal access to health services and equitable distribution of health resources is one of the main goals of health sector planners and policymakers in each country. Inequality in the distribution of health sector resources is more severe in developing countries such as Iran than in developed countries. Inadequate and poor budget allocation to the health sector, lack of proper and long-term planning are the main reasons for these inequalities. Reducing inequality between different regions in accessing health resources is one of the most important goals of health policy makers in Iran. One of the main ways to achieve this goal is the balanced distribution of health facilities and resources across different geographical areas according to people's health needs and population levels. In this regard, the first step is awareness of the status of access to health services in different areas. There are numerous measures to bring about justice in the field of health and to expand health services in deprived areas such as: equipping various hospitals with modern facilities, acquiring specialist doctors and providing specialized services, and, especially, improving community nutrition. In recent years, military organizations have also played an influential role in expanding health services in deprived areas. All these efforts have extended health services to the lowest levels of the deprived community and strata for human dignity and increased attention on deprived areas. However, there is still a lack of justice in the health field that requires more careful planning and comprehensive efforts. In the meantime, the realization of health justice and the expansion of health services in deprived areas are effective factors in enhancing the efficiency of the Islamic republic system.