Iran-Health Care

With a population of 65.9 million people Iran is the most populated country in the Middle East and 16^th most populated in the world. Iran’s Human Development Index, which is based on life expectancy, knowledge and education, and quality of life, was ranked 94^th in 2008. As Iran further develops it faces many challenges known to other semi-industrialized countries including high unemployment (12.5% in 2008), inflation (26%), and a growing economic gap between the wealthy and poor.

Over the past 20 years the status of health care in Iran has improved greatly. By establishing a Primary Health Care network Iran has been able to extend preventive public health programs to most citizens. 73% of Iranians have official health care coverage, but the constitution promises all citizens health care so most people get subsidized prescription drugs and vaccination programs. Clinics offer medical attention and medication for low prices. The Ministry of Health operates 488 general and specialty hospitals to provide higher care. Over 85% of population has access to health services and health personnel assist 90% of births. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has improved from 122 per 1,000 in 1970 to 28.6 per 1,000 in 2000. Maternal Mortality rate is 37 per 100,000 births. 90% of the population is immunized and Polio is almost completely eliminated. Under 5 Mortality (U5MR) also improved to 35.6 per 1,000 from 191 per 1,000 in 1970. The life expectancy for average citizens is now 71 years.

Iran has 730 medical establishments throughout the country. The Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) is in charge of 488 of those establishments. MOHME is in charge of medical insurance, medical education, policymaking, production and distribution of pharmaceuticals, and research and development. MOHME produces generic-based drugs inside of the country to keep the prices low and make most drugs easily accessible. 55 Iranian pharmaceutical companies produce 96% of pharmaceuticals on the market.

A major health concern in the Middle East and particularly in Iran is the growing drug problem. Drug use has become the leading cause of HIV infection and AIDS. The Ministry of Health has estimated 66,000 people are currently living with HIV infection. Intravenous drug use is the cause of 64.5% of HIV infections, while 8.9% is from sexual transmission, and 5.1% from blood and blood product transfusion. Iran has reached out to neighboring countries in an attempt to counter-drug trafficking by sharing intelligence and increasing border control along Afghanistan, the main source of opiates for the country.

The economic gap amongst households has triggered a trend of malnutrition in the poorer citizens. Moderate to severe underweight effects 11% of the population, and 15% have stunted growth. To make matters worse 7% of households have no safe drinking water and 27% have no sanitary toilet. There is an intermediate degree of risk associated with waterborne diseases such as bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A. Cholera has also caused a minor epidemic in Iran. In 2005, salads were banned from restaurants and television broadcasts told citizens not to eat vegetables or buy ice off the street after there was a spike in cholera related deaths. These problems are particularly apparent in rural areas in the Iranian countryside.

Health care will continue to be a growing concern in Iran. The country’s population is still young and as they age and begin to start families the population rate will grow. With more people generally comes more sickness and it will put extra strain on the health care network. Iran will need to continue to produce low cost pharmaceuticals and vaccines and should begin to focus on research and development for the future.

Tsvangirai Car Crash and Bennett's Release

Friday March 6, 2009

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was in a car accident on a two-lane highway between his home in Buhera and the capital city Harare. The car accident killed his wife, Susan, and left Tsvangirai with head injuries. Suspicions were raised about the nature of the accident and some are suggesting Mugabe might be connected. Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change told reporters it was too early to call this more than an accident. But Tom McDonald, US ambassador to Zimbabwe from 1997-2001 thinks otherwise. McDonald told CNN, "I'm skeptical about any motor vehicle accident in Zimbabwe involving an opposition figure. President Mugabe has a history of strange car accidents when someone lo and behold dies -- it's sort of his M.O. of how they get rid of people they don't like." McDonald spoke directly to three deaths, Defense Minister Moven Mahachi, Employment Minister Border Gezi's, and Elliot Manyika, a government minister and former regional governor, all of which were car crashes. McDonald has urged for a full investigation by a third party. The fragile, newly formed coalition government has been under a lot of heat recently and analysts fear this accident could be the breaking point, particularly if it is linked back to Mugabe.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, said Monday he believes the car accident he was involved in on Friday was a complete accident. This just days after his political party, Movement for Democratic Change, declared the accident to be an assassination attempt on Tsvangirai’s life. On Monday, Tsvangirai returned home from Botswana where he was being treated for head injuries sustained during the crash and told reporters, “If it was foul play, it was one in a thousand.” However, sources in Tsvangirai’s political movement told CNN on Saturday that Tsvangirai thought the driver deliberately crashed into him. Members of the MDC are asking for a third party investigation into the events of the accident. Traffic accidents are common in Zimbabwe and many of the cars from the country are in bad shape with inexperienced drivers.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Finally, Roy Bennett has been released from prison in Mutare. The Zimbabwean Supreme Court ordered he be released on bail Wednesday. Bennett spent nearly one month in jail on charges he called, “an absolute fabrication,” reports Al Jazeera. Bennett told reporters he planned to travel to Harare later Thursday to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister, in the new unity government. Bennett was nominated by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and would have been sworn in weeks ago had he not been arrested. The timing of the arrest, and the fact that the initial charge of treason was immediately changed to weapons charges upon arrest raises concerns about the legitimacy of this new coalition government. As conditions of his bail Bennett turned over his passport and $5,000 as a deposit. Bennett also must visit a police station three times a week.

My biggest concern for this young government is how the next few weeks will go. Will there be an investigation into the causes of the accident? I hope so, but for the sake of the country that might not be the best thing right now. At a time when the two government factions should be working together to restore their country for the good of the people there are rumors of potential assassination attempts amongst high ranking officials. Meanwhile, Roy Bennett has an upcoming trial to prepare for. It seems like the release of Bennett immediately after this accident, is only to calm the critics of the coalition government. He has been charged with terrorist activities and plotting against the state, but while he's not in jail he is in charge of agriculture. Does that seem backwards to anyone else? The MDC should cut ties with Bennett and the Zanu-PF should get rid of Mugabe. All they bring to the table is controversy and that is the last thing Zimbabwe needs. If these people in charge really care about their fellow countrymen they would start working on the Cholera epidemic or dilapidated hospitals and schools instead of fighting amongst themselves all the time.

Iran - Background

Iran is a country in the Middle East located between Iraq and Pakistan. The capital is Tehran. Iran is slightly larger than Alaska with a total area of 1.648 million square kilometers. The natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, and sulfur. Iran also has an important location along the maritime pathways for oil transport. The region is subject to droughts, floods, dust storms, sandstorms, and earth quakes.

Iran was formerly known as Persia until 1935 and became an Islamic republic in 1979 after Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was exiled and the monarchy was overthrown. US Iranian relations have been rough since Iranian students took over the US embassy and held hostages in a standoff lasting 1 year and 3 months (November 4, 1979 until January 20, 1981). Iran faces economic sanctions and export controls from the United States, United Nations, and European Union for being a state sponsor of terrorism and continuing with research into nuclear weapons. The United Nations Security Council has passed many resolutions asking Iran to stop its uranium enrichment and reprocessing work. Iran is also under United States Executive Orders 13382 and 13224 for designations for proliferation activities and designations for support of terrorism, respectively.

Iran is a theocratic republic and is divided into 30 provinces. The constitution was written on December 2-3, 1979 and revised in 1989 to give more power to the president. The legal system is based on Sharia law and there is universal suffrage for everyone over 18 years old. There are three branches of government. The Executive branch incorporates the Supreme Leader, Ali Hoseini-Khamenei, who is the chief of state and is appointed, for life, by the Assembly of Experts. The branch also includes head of the government, President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad, who was democratically elected on June 17, 2005 for a four-year term; Pariz Davudi is his Vice President. The Legislative Branch consists of a unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly with 290 seats. Members are elected for four-year terms by a popular vote. The Judicial Branch has a Supreme Court and a four-member High Council of the Judiciary. The branch’s job is to supervise enforcement of the laws and establish legal policy.

The Iranian economy is weak. It has an inefficient state sector and is reliant on the oil sector. The state sector is weak because the economy is weighed down by price controls and subsidies. This undermines potential for private sector-led growth. Informal market activity flourishes, resulting in widespread corruption and shortages of goods. President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad has tried to propose reforms such as fuel rationing (June 2007) and the imposition of the Value-Added Tax (October 2008) but both reforms caused violent protests. High oil prices in recent years allowed the oil market to flourish, but with oil prices falling off the Iranian government is facing some problems. Double digit unemployment (at 12.5%, according to the Iranian government, in 2008) and inflation (at 28% as of 2008) has caused the educated youth to consider moving out of the country for better economic opportunity. The major industries are petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and production of vegetable oil), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, and armaments.

All Iranian men must serve at least 18 months in the military. At age 15 men can serve in the Basij Forces and at 17 the can work in Law Enforcement. At 16 years of age a man can volunteer for the army. If by 19 you haven’t started your obligatory service you will be called for compulsory military service.

Internationally, Iran faces problems with human and illicit drug trafficking. Iran serves as a source, transit and destination for such atrocities. Women are sold for sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude while children are sold into marriage or slavery. Iran has yet to ratify the 2000 UN TIP Protocol to prevent human trafficking. Meanwhile, Iran remains one of the primary shipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe despite efforts to share counter-drug intelligence with neighboring countries. The area has one of the highest opiate addiction rates and an increasing problem with synthetic drugs.

Iran’s international disputes often involve water boundaries and the sharing of resources. Iran wants Afghanistan to share the water from the dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought. Iraq’s lack of maritime boundary with Iran starts arguments over jurisdiction beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf. Iran also insists upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors.