During his visit to Zanjan Province, Dr. Taher Mohebati, Deputy Minister for Management and Resource Development at the Ministry of Health, highlighted the challenging economic conditions and sanctions, underscoring the necessity of shifting perspectives to grant authenticity to human resources as the primary pillars of the health system’s development and sustainability.

Stating that “today, our primary concern is not the MRI machine, but rather the individual operating it,” the Deputy Minister of Health asserted: “The livelihood of staff, physicians, nurses, and the healthcare workforce has transcended professional dignity, directly affecting the honor and well-being of their families. When human resources are content, they work with doubled motivation; conversely, resorting to punitive measures, swift referrals to administrative violations committees, arbitrary relocations, and revoking leaves as managerial tools represents a profound unfamiliarity with human resource psychology. Our first, second, and third priorities must be preserving the dignity and visibility of our personnel.”Praising the self-sacrifice of healthcare staff in Zanjan Province and across the country who continue to serve faithfully despite payment delays, he added: “Although a portion of these challenges stems from conflicts and sanctions, the fundamental remedy lies in altering our managerial and executive behaviors.”

In another segment of his remarks, Dr. Mohebati underscored the importance of the “Social Determinants of Health” (SDH) paradigm, stating: “If we succeed in preventing a single instance of suicide, addiction, or divorce, we have accomplished a monumental task. These programs are not costly, yet they demand serious attention and a behavioral shift in the domains of health and prevention.” Expressing concern over the high average number of prescribed drug items per prescription (an average of 4 items) and numerous unnecessary diagnostic tests, the Deputy Minister warned against the perils of antibiotic/drug resistance and radiation hazards, noting: “Reducing mandatory ultrasounds for pregnant women to twice per pregnancy lowered costs across six tiers; this reformist model must continue with the central involvement of insurance organizations.”Furthermore, addressing medical ethics, Dr. Mohebati declared: “Under-the-table payments in public hospitals are entirely unacceptable and a source of disgrace. Despite income disparities in certain specialties, extracting under-the-table payments from impoverished populations must be eradicated through decisive behavioral modifications.”Noting that under current conditions, civil construction projects must be pursued through “asset monetization,” Dr. Mohebati stated: “Next year, 2,000 hospital beds will be equipped and staffed in partnership with the private sector. By purchasing services from the non-governmental and charitable sectors—while adhering to rigorous standards—we will optimize service quality and finished costs.”

Emphasizing the necessity of monitoring employee conduct and encouraging positive behaviors, he concluded: “Such monitoring, alongside appropriate incentives and subsequent punitive measures when warranted, exerts a highly influential role in supervising and guiding the system.”