Iran’s health minister has warned against the rising incidence of heart and brain disease in Iran and called for a widespread focus on preventive medicine.
ISNA reports that Hassan Ghazizadeh spoke at the Friday Mass Prayers to report a rise in heart attacks and brain strokes across the country, adding that 20 percent of Iranians are suffering from high blood pressure.
He called for strict attention to diet, saying a study has revealed the number of people suffering from diabetes has doubled in the last five years.
He said the health system is unable to offer adequate services and there is an immediate need for preventive medicine.
In recent months, there have also been several reports about the rising incidence of cancer, which one source has referred to as the “tsunami of cancer” in Iran. Reports indicate that 85,000 people are being diagnosed with cancer each year and 30,000 die from it.
