Iranian officials have recently sounded the alarm about the national health sector, stating that a large number of nurses are leaving the country. Although the emigration of medical personnel including doctors is a serious matter, the more alarming issue is the financial bottlenecks created by the government’s budget deficits and other irregularities.

Key bottlenecks

Social security in Iran is structured around a number of major entities. The largest actor is the Social Security Organization (SSO), which provides coverage to 54% of the population. Some 16% of Iranians are covered by...