Jafar Miadfar, head of Iran’s Emergency Medical Services Organization, outlined the Ministry of Health’s measures to address heatstroke among Arbaeen pilgrims, stating that the required pharmaceutical reserves had been prepared across all six border crossings, including the stockpiling of approximately 300,000 units of IV fluids. According to Miadfar, these supplies were coordinated with the Ministry of Health’s Food and Drug Administration, ensuring “zero concern” regarding the supply of serum and essential medicines for pilgrims, mirroring last year’s operations.
These remarks come as Salman Eshaqi, spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s Health Commission, warned of severe and widespread drug shortages nationwide. Stating that Iran currently faces a “critical and serious pharmaceutical shortage,” Eshaqi cited difficulties in importing raw materials as a key driver of rising drug prices and called for an immediate operational strategy to address the crisis.
Eshaqi further emphasised the need to bolster the country’s pharmaceutical infrastructure, adding that supporting technology centres and technology-driven enterprises is essential to securing domestic production, ensuring a stable supply chain and guaranteeing public access to necessary medications.
