2 credit efforts for free distribution of nutritional supplements/ start of distribution with priority in the south of the country

The head of the Network Management Center of the Ministry of Health announced the allocation of about 2 million credits for the centralized supply and distribution of nutritional supplements in rural areas, nomadic areas and cities with less than 20,000 people and said: This plan has been started in cooperation with the Health Insurance Organization and with priority in the southern regions of the country and covers target groups such as pregnant mothers, infants, teenagers and the elderly.

Dr. Babak Farrokhi; Referring to the importance of supplementation in different periods of life, he said: During life, there are periods that are particularly sensitive, and one of the most sensitive periods for mothers is pregnancy. During this period, there are special nutritional needs and providing the necessary nutrients plays an important role in the health of the mother and the proper development of the fetus.

He added: In addition to having a balanced diet, pregnant mothers should also use supplements during pregnancy. Because with the increase in the body's need for vitamins and minerals during this period, it is not possible to get enough of these substances only through diet, and it is necessary to add supplements to the mother's nutritional plan.

Referring to the effective supplements during pregnancy, the head of the network management center of the Ministry of Health said: Among these supplements, folic acid, iron, calcium and iodine can be mentioned, which have a great impact on pregnancy health. The lack of these substances may lead to problems such as anemia, birth defects, weak immune system and insufficient development of the fetus.

Necessity of supplementation in children and infants

Stating that supplementation is also important in children, Farrokhi added: In children, especially children under the age of two, we may face a lack of micronutrients, especially iron and vitamin AD, and some nutritional problems. The lack of these substances can lead to impaired growth, reduced intelligence and reduced mental and physical abilities of children.

Emphasizing the importance of taking "iron" supplements during infancy, he continued: getting less iron than the child needs can cause iron deficiency anemia and other disorders during infancy.

The head of the Network Management Center of the Ministry of Health added: "The use of AD drops or multivitamins in the form of a supplement program can be effective in periods of an infant's life, and based on the existing guidelines and protocols, the use of these supplements is recommended."

Iron and vitamin D supplementation in schools

Farrokhi, referring to school-age supplement programs, said: among students, especially girls aged 12 to 18, the program of iron supplementation and iron supplementation is on the agenda. Also, vitamin D supplementation for boys and girls is foreseen in the guidelines and protocols of the Ministry of Health.

He continued: Some supplements, including calcium supplements, are important at older ages, that is, in the young, middle-aged and elderly groups. In the elderly, the issue of bone density and paying attention to the condition of the bones is also discussed, and the consumption of calcium supplements is recommended based on the need and relevant instructions.

Allocation of 2 credits for centralized supply of supplements

The head of the network management center of the Ministry of Health, referring to the economic conditions, sanctions and costs of providing drugs and supplements, said: Considering these conditions, in the family medicine program in rural areas, cities under 20,000 people and nomadic population, in the form of a joint memorandum we had with the health insurance organization, this year we decided to provide and distribute supplements centrally and through the health insurance organization.

He added: For this program, we have considered an amount of about 2 Hamats to provide the supplements needed by the target groups in the mentioned population. We have calculated different coverages for different groups, and in the initial estimate, provision of supplements in the form of quarterly coverages for the target groups has been considered.

Referring to the resource provision mechanism of this program, Farrokhi stated: Resources are transferred to the Health Insurance Organization through the Ministry of Health; Because we are legally required to have an insurance mechanism to provide these supplements. The resources of this program are provided by one percent value added tax.

He continued: Certain supplements have been determined for different age groups and we have informed the health insurance organization about which supplements should be provided for which age groups. The first phase of this program has also been started by the Health Insurance Organization.

The beginning of the distribution of supplements with priority in the deprived areas of the south of the country

Referring to the priority of the covered areas, the head of the network management center of the Ministry of Health said: Considering the level of deprivation in different parts of the country, in the first stage, we prioritized 10 universities of medical sciences in the southern and deprived areas of the country. Hormozgan, Sistan and Baluchistan, Khuzestan and Bushehr can be mentioned among these regions.

He added: These areas, especially Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces, have been involved in the conditions and consequences of war. Therefore, in the first stage, these universities were specially considered and the distribution of supplements has been done with the cooperation of the health insurance organization among them.

Emphasizing the continuity of this program, Farrokhi stated: In the next stages, the needs are estimated based on the target groups of each university, and we try to provide the supplements needed by these groups in each quarter. The first phase focused on universities in the south of the country, and after that, other universities will be covered. In total, all 64 universities of medical sciences are considered in this program to cover rural areas, nomads and cities under 20 thousand people. The population of these areas includes nearly 30 million of the country's population.

The head of the network management center of the Ministry of Health noted: We were able to start this program with the cooperation of the Program and Budget Organization, the Health Insurance Organization, the Ministry of Health, the Vice President of Development and other related departments. The main part of the technical work has also been done by the vice-chancellor of health, and fortunately, the first phase of the program has been implemented.

Continuation of the program until the end of the year and distribution of supplements based on consumption

Referring to the plan of the Ministry of Health to continue providing supplements until the end of the year, Farrokhi said: "This program will continue and we hope that by the end of the year we will be able to supply and distribute the supplements needed by different age groups, including pregnant mothers, infants, teenagers in schools, and the elderly." The distribution of the next steps will be done based on the amount of consumption and the information recorded in the level one system. In the first stage, the basic need is estimated and the supplements are provided to the target groups based on this need.

He added: After that, the consumption of supplements will be registered in the system, and the distribution of the next stage will be done based on the registered consumption. In this way, the supplements must reach the target group and as soon as the information is delivered and recorded in the system, the next distribution is done based on the amount of consumption.

Preventing the diversion of resources and turning credit into a usable product

The head of the network management center of the Ministry of Health, in response to the question why supplements are provided centrally and through the health insurance organization, said: In the past years, the credit of this program was allocated to universities of medical sciences. It cannot be said that these resources were not fully realized, but universities were facing many challenges and problems, especially in the field of personnel issues and paying staff salaries, and naturally, personnel costs were prioritized.

He continued: In such a situation, some of our service packages might not be realized 100%. In order to protect this line of credit, convert resources into products and reach the required groups, we decided to provide supplements centrally through the health insurance organization. On the other hand, the law also obliged us to this mechanism.

He added: The goal is for the supplements to reach the most deprived parts of the country and the groups that really need them. In a situation where the cost of providing food, including protein sources, has increased greatly, we are trying to provide these groups with the supplements they need.

The head of the Network Management Center of the Ministry of Health emphasized the importance of supporting pregnant mothers and said: Considering that the issue of population and childbearing is one of our priorities, we are trying to ensure that pregnant mothers do not have to worry about paying for the supplements they need and that these supplements are provided to the target groups for free.

The role of health insurance organization in supply and distribution of supplements

In response to the question of which organization is in charge of providing supplements, Farrokhi explained: the resources of this program are provided through the program and budget organization and in the form of one percent value added tax, and the health insurance organization has assumed the role of executive intermediary and insurance mechanism so that the resources are converted into products.

He continued: The Ministry of Health also has a supervisory role so that the supplements reach the final consumer. The goal is to reduce the role of intermediaries in this process as much as possible; Because the more intermediaries there are in the distribution of resources and products, the more likely the product will not reach the desired goal. In this way, we can hope that the allocated resources will be converted into the required product and that what the law has foreseen will reach the end consumer.

Provision of iron supplements for girls aged 12 to 18 years

Farrokhi, in response to a question about the implementation of the supplementary aid program for students at the beginning of the academic year, said: For female students between the ages of 12 and 18, the Iron Supplement Program is implemented. Due to the physiological growth of girls at this age, their need for iron increases and the required supplements are provided based on the guidelines specified for this age group.

He added: The supplement used in this program is Ferfolik and this supplement is provided to students through schools. Supplements are prepared at service provider units, including health homes and health centers, to be distributed to the target group.

Farrokhi continued: For girls aged 12 to 18, iron pills are considered and for this age group, including boys and girls, vitamin D supplements are also provided. Because this age group also needs vitamin D. In total, they receive one iron tablet per week for 4 months (that is, 16 weeks) and one 50,000 unit vitamin D supplement per month.

The scientific basis of complementary programs

In response to a question about the scientific evidence of the effectiveness of supplements, the head of the Ministry of Health's Network Management Center stated: There are scientific studies, medical documents and international documents for these programs. Also, the package of health services of the Ministry of Health, that is, the package of comprehensive health services, has been compiled based on these scientific documents. In this regard, the need of different age groups for supplements is determined based on scientific documentation. These supplements play a role in people's growth and prevention of some disorders, and supplement programs are designed on this basis.

Referring to the importance of taking supplements during pregnancy, Farrokhi said: As I mentioned, if the pregnant mother does not receive the required supplements, the diet alone may not be able to compensate for the increased needs of the body. In such conditions, there is a possibility of problems such as anemia, weak immune system and insufficient growth of the fetus. For this reason, we provide the supplements for free to the target groups, so that there is no concern about their expenses for these people.

The need to inform about the supplemental assistance program

Emphasizing the importance of informing about this project, Farrokhi said: it is necessary to provide proper information so that people are aware of the existence of this service. Supplements should also be provided in time so that the target groups can use the anticipated services.