Developing National Women’s Health Plan in I.R. Iran

Background: Women’s health in Iran, needs continuing investment and strong policy direction in order to effectively address and improve their health status, which will have benefits for the health and wellbeing of family and community. National policies, strategies, and plans have an important role in the definition of the vision, goals and priorities and are the basis for the operational plans in a contextual framework for each country. Developing a strategies based on the comprehensive health needs of women in Iran in national level is a necessity and should consider to seek addressing all broad needs of women in their life cycle, to increase their access to services, and improve their uses of health care resources. To achieve health equity among women, needs health policies that target their specific or unique needs. In Iran till now such a national women’s health plan in a comprehensive, integrated and scientific manner have not been developed. This set of policies is to improve the health and wellbeing of all women in Iran, and especially to those with the highest risk of poor health. It is to set out and encourage the health system to be more responsive to the needs of women, to actively promote the participation of women in health decision making and management. This study was done to develop the national women health plan in Islamic republic of Iran Methodology: In this qualitative study different methods of focus group discussion (FGD) and expert panel have been used. First through a narrative review of women health plans and policies in Iran and other countries experiences were explored and the primary policy draft was developed. This draft was reviewed in two expert panels with the research team and members of women’s health in Academia to develop the first draft of plan. In next step two sessions of FGD qualitative study was held. Different part of the plan were looked over in sessions of four expert groups titled as social determinants of health, research and monitoring, health promotion, and service delivery and executive management . These groups were formed from experts and researchers of scientific and academic centers that reviewed and modified the draft document. In five sessions this draft was revised and finalized based on expert suggestions by the research team. Results: findings of study resulted in developing the goals, objectives, strategies and operational solutions for the Iranian women health national plan. The first goal is the women health promotion in the physical, emotional, social and spiritual dimensions and preventing the diseases and decreasing the women health risk factors in their life time. The second goal is strengthen the women main role in providing their own health, their family and community and increasing their contribution in different policy making, decision making and implementation levels and the third goal is the tackling the social (political, legal, economic, cultural ) barriers are in relation with women health . Totally 27 objectives were developed for three goals. For the first goal 10, for the second goal 5 and for the third goal 12 objectives were determined. For each objective some strategies were considered and tried to provide appropriate practical approaches for each strategy in three areas of educational, research and services.Conclusion: National women health plan in Islamic republic of Iran will provide a framework to guide all activities of institutions related to women health promotion, as to set the executive plans in the national and provinces levels. The medical science academy can use this national plan to monitor and evaluate the women health status and help to make more coordination in its implementing through communication and relation with medical universities as the main health authorities in each provinces

کلیدواژه ها:

women health ، national plan ، Iran