Amid the worsening drug crisis, Azam Panahi Mehr Isalou, the director of Iranian regime’s Kidney Association, warned that disruptions in the treatment of dialysis patients could quickly lead to severe complications and even death.
In a report by the state-run ILNA news agency, Panahi Mehr stated, “Some medical centers, due to the social security organization’s debts, refuse to accept these patients’ insurance, and the cost of each dialysis session has reached 20 million rials.”
Panahi Mehr emphasized that the psychological stress caused by high costs and lack of access to treatment has affected the lives of patients and their families. She said, “Patients whose survival depends on dialysis are now facing serious concerns.”
Expressing concern over the pressures on patients, she added, “Dialysis patients, who need four hours of dialysis every other day to survive, have repeatedly visited the association during this period, asking us what they should do.”
Panahi Mehr stressed that economic hardships have severely impacted the mental and emotional well-being of patients and their families.
She stated, “Many of these patients cannot work due to their physical condition, and their lives are entirely dependent on dialysis. When they realize they must pay an amount they cannot afford to stay alive, they experience anxiety and despair.”
The director of the Kidney Association warned about the dangers of missed dialysis sessions, stating, “If a patient does not receive dialysis on time, fluids will accumulate in their body, particularly in the lungs and limbs. This can lead to respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death.”
Panahi Mehr added that fortunately, no reports of death due to dialysis disruptions have been received so far, but she emphasized that this situation is unsustainable and must be resolved immediately.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Jamalian, a member of the Iranian regime’s parliamentary Health and Treatment Commission, announced the beginning of overdue payments from the social security organization to medical centers. He stated, “The outstanding payments to dialysis centers will be settled between February 28 and March 5, and we expect medical centers to cooperate accordingly.”
On the other hand, Mehdi Pirsalahi, the head of Iran’s Food and Drug Administration, described the country’s pharmaceutical situation as concerning during a conference in Ahvaz. He stated, “Ensuring strategic reserves of medicine and medical equipment for the next six months faces serious challenges, and sufficient financial resources have not been allocated for it.”
Pirsalahi added that out of the one billion dollars allocated, only 300 million dollars have been used to settle debts, while 700 million dollars have been designated for consumable reserves, which is insufficient.
Pirsalahi emphasized that one of the main issues in the pharmaceutical sector is the provision of foreign currency and liquidity for domestic manufacturers.
According to him, delays in payments to pharmacies have prevented some manufacturers from acquiring raw materials. The official stated, “The drug shortage in the country is primarily due to improper pricing, which has led some companies to halt production.”
Despite claims of allocated financial resources, concerns about securing essential medicines persist. Pirsalahi, referring to the finalization of the list of vital drugs, added, “Our focus is on providing essential medicines and medical equipment, but additional resources are required to fully secure the reserves.”
Health experts have warned that the ongoing rise in drug prices, coupled with increasing poverty, could lead to more severe crises in Iran’s healthcare sector.
As insurance providers struggle to cover costs and prices continue to rise, many patients face serious challenges in obtaining the medications they need.
