Iran's status of NCDs prevention and management services during COVID-19 pandemic at PHC level

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Evidence shows that COVID-19 pandemic affects non-communicable diseases (NCDs), significantly. This study aimed to analyze the status of prevention and management services of NCDs at the level of primary health care (PHC) system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: In this situation analysis study, first the circulars communicated at the level of PHC system from beginning of the pandemic to the end of September 2020 were manually and electronically retrieved, and those which included a decision or action in terms of governance and coordination mechanisms to provide NCDs in crisis and reopening stages, were analyzed. Then, the plans of major NCDs services in low-risk, intermediate, and high-risk conditions were developed and finalized based on the circulars. Finally, situation analysis was performed using SWOT analysis, and proposed strategies were extracted.