Amid increasing pressure on healthcare workers during the bloody crackdown on Iran’s nationwide and popular uprising, the Supreme Council of the Medical Council of Iran has issued a statement calling for the immediate provision of security for medical staff and an end to any threatening or interventionist actions against medical centers.
In recent weeks, concurrent with security forces’ violent suppression of protests, reports have emerged of threats, pressure, and the arrest of a number of healthcare workers for treating injured protesters or sharing information about conditions in hospitals. However, no precise statistics on the number of detainees are available.
In its statement, the Supreme Council of the Medical Council, referring to the current situation, said:
“Following the recent events in the country and the emergence of serious concerns regarding the physical, psychological, and professional security of devoted healthcare workers, the Supreme Council of the Medical Council of Iran, while expressing deep regret over the incidents that have occurred and extending its sympathy to all those affected, deems it necessary to clearly and responsibly outline essential points aimed at safeguarding public health and supporting the country’s medical and healthcare community.”
The statement further emphasizes that healthcare workers are obligated to provide medical services to all patients regardless of “political or security conditions.”
It states: “The country’s healthcare staff and all those active in the field of health and treatment, based on their professional oath, legal obligations, and the fundamental principles of medical ethics, are required at all times and regardless of social, political, or security circumstances to provide necessary diagnostic and therapeutic services to all patients.”
The Medical Council stressed that this professional duty is “inherent, continuous, and non-suspendable,” noting that the foundation of the medical profession is built upon preserving human life and alleviating patients’ suffering.
In another part of the statement, referring to the sensitive conditions of medical centers, the Supreme Council of the Medical Council called on officials of the Islamic Republic to take immediate action to guarantee the security of healthcare workers and medical facilities.
The statement reads: “The Supreme Council of the Medical Council of Iran, while offering its firm and unconditional support for medical service delivery and the health of the medical community, expects all officials, institutions, relevant authorities, and the public, with a proper understanding of the status of the medical profession and the special conditions under which medical centers operate, to take effective, immediate, and responsible measures to ensure full and sustainable security for medical facilities, protect the dignity, integrity, and professional independence of healthcare workers, and prevent any unprofessional, threatening, or interventionist actions.”
This statement has been issued at a time when doctors and healthcare workers have played a crucial role in treating those injured during the protests, while simultaneously facing increasing security pressures and restrictions in some medical centers.
