The Heavy Burden of Healthcare in Iran; Households Spend 9% of Income on Health

The Statistical Center reported that the share of healthcare expenses from the urban household expenditure basket last year was about 9.1%, ranking third after housing and fuel costs, and food and tobacco expenses. According to this report, urban households in the provinces of Isfahan, Yazd, Alborz, Golestan, and Markazi had the highest healthcare expenditures last year. Data from the Statistical Center shows that urban households with 10 or more members spent an average of about 16 million tomans on healthcare. Accordingly, households of 3 and 4 members spent an average of 13 million tomans; households of 5 and 6 members about 12 million tomans; 2-member households spent an average of 11 million tomans, and single-member households spent an average of 8 million tomans on healthcare. This report has many noteworthy aspects. For example, statistics indicate that urban households without an employed individual spent an average of about 10 million tomans on healthcare in the year 1401. Another section of the report emphasizes that urban households with public sector employees spend nearly twice as much on healthcare compared to independent employees. Khabar Online highlighted that visiting hospitals and treatment centers reveals 'high recovery and treatment costs.' The website noted that in recent years, with the rise in inflation rates in Iran, healthcare costs have also increased, to the extent that many families cannot afford them. The published statistics show that class disparities in physical health provision have also reached their highest level. The report from the Statistical Center indicated that urban households in the scientific and technical professions ranked first in healthcare spending, with an average expenditure of 23 million tomans, followed by households in the legislative, high-ranking officials, and managers group with an average expenditure of 20 million tomans. In third place were administrative and office employees, with an average expenditure of 17 million tomans, and in fourth place, technicians and assistants with 13 million tomans. Groups of assemblers, drivers, service workers, and vendors spent an average of 12 million tomans on healthcare, securing fifth and sixth places. Accordingly, households in the industrial workers group and related occupations spent an average of 9 million tomans on healthcare, ranking seventh. Statistics show that simple workers and skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishing workers spent an average of 8 million tomans on healthcare in the year 1401, ranking eighth and ninth with the lowest expenditure. Scientific and technical professionals spent 2.8 times more on healthcare than agricultural, forestry, and fishing workers in 1401. Some analysts believe that the fact that high-income individuals spend more on their health while low-income individuals spend less is due to inflation, recession, declining production, and ongoing sanctions. Officials from the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Health had repeatedly promised in the summer of 1401 that the implementation of the so-called 'Daru-Yar' plan would reduce drug shortages to a 'minimum' within two to three months and that drug prices would move towards 'realism.' This promise was not fulfilled, and in addition to the increase in prices of many drugs, some items also became scarce or even unavailable. An economist: At least 30 million Iranians are living in absolute poverty. The shortage and 'rationing' of baby formula in the shadow of the Islamic Republic's 'childbearing' policies. Reactions to Raisi's remarks about drug shortages: Put yourself in the patients' shoes.