A Silent Equipment Crisis Hits Iranian Hospitals (opens original article in a new tab)

Iranian hospitals face a critical equipment crisis due to aging medical devices, insufficient maintenance funding, and reliance on imports, leading to reduced healthcare quality and operational challenges.

• Iran's 1,073 hospitals operate $10 billion in medical equipment with an average age of five years.
• Less than 0.5% of hospital budgets are allocated to maintenance, creating a funding gap.
• Import dependencies and sanctions exacerbate equipment shortages and repair costs, with some repairs costing as much as new equipment.
• Equipment deterioration risks compromising diagnostic accuracy, treatment outcomes, and patient safety.