Publication date: Jul 01, 2025
Sudden influxes of displaced populations can strain health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Iran hosts one of the world’s largest migrant and refugee populations -predominantly from Afghanistan – and provides inclusive access to public health and education services. In August 2021, the crisis in Afghanistan triggered a sharp increase in Afghan arrivals to Iran, raising healthcare demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines how one of the largest public health networks in Tehran responded to this surge and the resulting impact on equitable service coverage and system resilience. We retrospectively analyzed monthly healthcare utilization data over a 13-month period (February 2021-February 2022) from the largest public health network in western Tehran, which serves approximately 5. 5 million residents, including nearly 1 million migrants and refugees. Patients were categorized into six demographic subgroups: children, women of childbearing age, adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and the elderly. Changes in the number and proportion of patients receiving the full Essential Health Service Package (EHSP) were assessed using six-month pre-/post-event comparisons, with statistical significance determined via chi-square tests (p
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 pandemic |
| disease | MESH | Health Services Accessibility |