ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the key episodes in three phases of development for primary health-care (PHC), family practice, and universal health coverage (UHC). It explores four major areas: legislation and governance, scaling up of family medicine training programmes, financing, and integration and quality assurance of health services. The establishment of PHC networks in 1984 was the critical action of the government to ensure the right of citizens to basic health care with priority in rural and deprived areas. The right of all citizens to access health care is embodied in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran which stipulates the rights of all citizens to health as well as an equitable distribution of health services. The PHC system in Iran was designed based on principles, in which easy access was at its heart. There are important features in Iran’s PHC system to ensure greater access to essential services.
