Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 6 /Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/
People in Iran today spend some 30 percent more money on drugs and medicine, President of Iran's Medical Council, Shahab od-Din Sadr said at a news conference, Fars reported.
Sadr noted that while officially the percentage rate for people to pay for medicines should be 30 percent, it has increased in the recent months up to 60 percent, due to economic problems in the country.
He also said that Iran currently experiences problems with drug shortages and patient care in the country, and the rising healthcare costs create additional problems with people's livelihood.
Sadr underscored that about 13 percent of people in Tehran spend most of their money on medical expenses.
He said that the government has to allocate more currency, based on Central Bank's official rate, to the imports of necessary medicines and drugs into country's regions.
He then revealed some statistics about the increased prices in Iran, in particular noting that MRI Helium prices have increased by 677 percent, and the price for doing X-rays has increased by some 24 percent.
"During the last 8 months, there has not been enough of foreign currency allocation to medicine sector," Sadr said.
He also added that public hospitals are in debt for $612 million to local pharmaceutical distribution companies, and the insurance companies are in debt to the public hospitals for $1,142 billion.
"In turn, supplemental insurance companies are in debt for $1,6 billion to private hospitals," he noted. "These expenses lead to people spending more money on drugs and medicine."