UNHCR Funds Healthcare for More Afghans in Iran

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that it is covering the cost of health insurance for an additional 20,000 Afghan refugees in Iran. 
This boosts the number of refugees to 120,000 who will be able to access medical care for Covid-19 and other illnesses under Iran’s national health plan.
Iran hosts nearly 800,000 Afghan refugees. Over the past year, UNHCR has paid insurance premiums for 100,000 of the most vulnerable refugees. Given the dangers posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, it now has boosted that number by another 20,000.
UNHCR Spokesman Babar Balloch said Iran is one of only a handful of countries that allows refugees to sign up for its national health insurance and receive the same treatment as its nationals, according to a statement posted on the website of the UN refugee agency.    
“The national insurance scheme allows for free Covid-19 treatment and hospitalization. It also subsidizes the cost of surgeries, dialysis, radiology, laboratory tests, outpatient care and more. However, many refugees are not able to afford the premium costs,” he said.   
Balloch said the pandemic has severely affected the ability of refugees to earn a living, as they usually rely on precarious and unstable jobs.