A/HRC/43/20 47. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has expressed concern that sanctions often cause significant disruption in the distribution of food, pharmaceuticals and sanitation supplies, jeopardize the quality of food and the availability of clean drinking water, severely interfere with the functioning of basic health and education systems and undermine the right to work.87 1. Right to health 48. Everyone has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, as recognized in article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a party. All health services, goods and facilities must be accessible, acceptable and of good quality and provided to all without discrimination. 88 49. In 2014, the President introduced the Health Transformation Plan, aimed at achieving universal health coverage by the end of his first term. By 2018, around 95 per cent of Iranians were covered by some form of health insurance. However, the cost of health care for families increased by 22 per cent in urban areas and by 31 per cent in rural areas between October 2018 and October 2019, mostly due to hospitals facing shortages and patients having to purchase medical items normally provided by hospitals. 89 The 13 per cent increase in the Government’s budget for health insurance for the current budget year is insufficient to offset projected inflation. The Government will be required to either increase public allocations to the health sector or limit the services previously foreseen under the plan, with potential harmful consequences for the health of millions of patients. 50. Sanctions and banking restrictions have had an adverse effect on the production, availability and distribution of medicines, pharmaceutical equipment and supplies. 90 The significant price increases in medicines91 and the depletion of stocks, combined with the impacts of corruption92 and smuggling, will continue to affect the health sector. Hospitals are experiencing shortages of medicines, equipment93 and consumer goods,94 placing vulnerable patients with rare or at advanced stages of diseases at greater risk.95 The State Welfare Organization indicated it could no longer import items needed to manufacture wheelchairs.96 51. Foreign medication has become scarce since 2018, particularly specialized medication required for the treatment of life-threatening or rare conditions, including cancer, heart and blood diseases, 97 thalassemia and multiple sclerosis. 98 As noted by the Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 15 children reportedly died of epidermolysis bullosa since companies stopped selling absorbent foam dressing to the Islamic Republic of Iran due to sanctions. 99 Although the country produces 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 8 (1997) on the relationship between economic sanctions and respect for economic, social and cultural rights, para. 3. See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Factsheet31.pdf. See https://www.eghtesadonline.com/n/1vpe (in Farsi). See www.isna.ir/news/98050703466/ (in Farsi); https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/22/middleeast/iranmedical-shortages-intl/index.html; and www.nytimes.com/2018/11/11/world/middleeast/iransanctions.html. See https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-business-and-markets/93564/impact-of-ussanctions-on-irans-healthcare-sector; and www.irna.ir/news/83236255/ (in Farsi). See www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/01/iran-us-sanctions-rentierism-pharmaceuticalsector-medicine.html. See www.ilna.ir/fa/tiny/news-663910 (in Farsi). See www.ilna.ir/fa/tiny/news-673055 (in Farsi). See https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/14/u-s-sanctions-are-killing-cancer-patients-in-iran/. See www.ilna.news/fa/tiny/news-809084 (in Farsi). See www.mehrnews.com/news/4688345/ (in Farsi). See www.ettelaat.com/mobile/?p=107080 (in Farsi). See https://twitter.com/ebtekarm/status/1195073701735206912?s=11; https://twitter.com/ebtekarm/status/1193555580985729024?s=11; and www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/11/10/610842/Iran-US-sanctions-EB-patients. 13