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Iran nursing workforce crisis and legislative responses

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-18 20:23 UTC → 2026-10-20 02:26 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Iranian healthcare sector continues to navigate instability caused by nursing shortages and economic pressures. While officials have implemented measures such as nursing tariffs and revised regulations through the Social Security Organization to address long-standing claims, significant challenges remain. During Nurse Day celebrations, health officials highlighted advancements including the ‘Follow-up Nurse’ initiative, which reportedly reduced hospital readmission rates for chronic diseases by 53%. Minister of Health Mohammad Reza Zafarkandi also reaffirmed crisis preparedness, noting that 3,600 nurses have volunteered for rapid response teams to deploy to high-risk or damaged areas. However, the economic impact of high inflation and rising living costs continues to affect staff satisfaction. Seyyed Mohammad Jamalian, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s Health and Treatment Commission, stated that despite recent increases in overtime pay and tariff adjustments, the trend of healthcare workers leaving their positions or migrating abroad persists. In recent discussions regarding medical education, Minister Zafarkandi noted that increasing student capacity alone will not resolve specialist shortages, emphasizing that regional distribution depends on improving living conditions in smaller cities and ensuring adequate clinical environments for training. Seyed Reza Rais-Karami, President of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, identified a critical shortage of nursing applicants. He clarified that while there are no budgetary or licensing restrictions preventing hiring, there is a lack of candidates willing to apply. He noted that high inflation has prevented wage and overtime increases from keeping pace with the cost of living. In response, the Iranian Parliament is advancing legislative reforms to support nursing rights and ~~livelihoods. This includes support for a plan by~~ livelihoods, including the ~~Ministry of Labor~~ ‘Zist-e Parastar’ plan and ~~the Social Security Organization to recruit 4,000 nurses to mitigate workloads. Legislators are also pushing~~ efforts to reform Article 106 of the Civil Service Management Law to address economic grievances. A special committee led by Jamalian, involving the Health Ministry, the Plan and Budget Organization, and the Administrative and Recruitment Organization, has been formed to monitor law implementation and investigate mismanagement. Additionally, the ‘Zist-e Parastar’ plan aims to ensure nursing service tariffs are effectively maintained and redistributed, particularly in southern and border provinces. Law.

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