Evaluation of provision and availability of health care services in Iran: a human rights approach.

In this review article, we have attempted to illustrate the provision and availability of health care services in Iran using a human rights approach. First and foremost, we should emphasize that we have not come across any text which endeavours to address holistically the aforesaid issue in the context of Iran. It appears to us to be a very complex issue and in order to satisfactorily address this issue, we have argued some of its various associated aspects. Basically, we believe that the right to health care should be a human right, but whether this right should be to basic care or comprehensive care, whether legally enforceable or not, are issues which are political and must echo the socio-political climate and resources of a particular country. However, this deliberation may be of vital importance in the development and nurturing of the health care services sector of a country; in determining the attitudes associated with the dynamics of the various sub-system/sub-process components, and finally the actual access and availability of health care to its citizens. Our own views are given in this text when appropriate.