Secretary General of the Nurses' House: The Number of Nurses in Iran is Half of the Global Standard

On Thursday, March 1, the Tehran newspaper 'Shargh' reported that according to Mohammad Sharifi-Moqaddam, Secretary General of the Nurses' House, the World Health Organization states that there should be 'at least' 3 nurses for every 1,000 people, but in Iran, this number is only 1.6. The newspaper also discussed the difficulties faced by nurses in Iran, noting that their salaries do not correspond to their living conditions. Mohammad Taghi Jahanpour, head of the Nursing System Organization, stated, 'We have reached a point where colleagues are unwilling to work even one hour of overtime.' In this context, Luqman Sharifi, a member of the Supreme Council of the Nursing System, believes that with salaries ranging from 10 to 13 million tomans, it is unreasonable to expect nurses to serve in large cities and metropolitan areas. According to Shargh, the problems within the nursing profession have led to reports of protests and sit-ins by nurses in various cities in recent days. Earlier this year, a group of nurses from Shahid Tajrish Hospital in Tehran had also spoken about their issues at the office of Shargh newspaper. The article highlighted that staff shortages, long shifts, and mandatory overtime, along with other issues affecting the health and comfort of both nurses and patients, are just part of the grievances expressed by these nurses. Nurses reportedly receive between 13,000 to 20,000 tomans for each hour of overtime. Amid reports from professional officials and media indicating that Iran is facing a 'nurse shortage,' Mohammad Mirzabigi, head of the Nursing System Organization, announced on December 24 that 'over ten thousand' nurses have 'emigrated.' Healthcare workers in Iran face numerous challenges, including unclear employment contracts, delays in salary and benefits payments, and disproportionate service tariffs. Additionally, members of this profession have encountered security and health challenges, such as being assaulted by the companions of some patients or dying from complications associated with contagious diseases like during the COVID-19 pandemic while on duty. Nurses and healthcare workers in Iran have repeatedly held protests in various cities over their job conditions and related issues in recent years and months. The Persian section of Voice of America has addressed the problems faced by healthcare workers, especially nurses, and the challenges that have intensified the migration crisis in this sector.