UNHCR Iran works with the Government of Iran and its Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), to ensure that all refugees have access to vital and lifesaving services. UNHCR supports the provision of primary health care to all refugeesand forcibly displaced people, regardless of documentation status, at the same level as nationals. PHC services include vaccinations, antenatal care, maternal and child health, provision of essential medicine, and family planning in health posts country-wide. It is understood that all primary healthcare is free of charge for all foreign nationals, regardless of documentation status similar to Iranian nationals.
UNHCR’s support under Primary Health Care (PHC) in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) also includes support to health personnel, procurement (international and national) of essential medical items and medicines, construction and rehabilitation of health centers in refugee-populated areas, support to immunization campaigns and emergency response to communicable disease control and prevention. In addition, UNHCR supports the procurement of medicines and medical equipment and the construction and rehabilitation of health posts and centers located in refugee hosting provinces.
Since 2015, as part of the partnership agreement between UNHCR, the Ministry of Interior, and the Iranian Health Insurance Organization (IHIO), government registered refugees can access to Universal Public Health Insurance scheme (UPHI), the national insurance scheme. The insurance package provides secondary and tertiary health care at a subsidized rate, similar to Iranian nationals. For the 11th cycle of UPHI (25 February 2025 – 24 February 2026), UNHCR is covering 100% of the insurance premium for only 95,000 of the most vulnerable refugees, in 26 provinces of Iran. The remaining refugee population can enroll in the health insurance by paying the premium fee by themselves. For enrolling in the scheme, refugees need to approach their nearest Pishkhan/enrollment centers.