Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran

en Primary Health Care Model for Non-Communicable Diseases Management during COVID-19 Pandemic in the Islamic Republic of Iran COVID 19 Applicable Applicable Background: Given the importance of appropriate response to prevent and manage Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), this study aimed to analyze the state of NCDs services at the level of the PHC system during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the main strategies.    Methods: In this qualitative study, first, the circulars and guides in Iran's PHC system from the beginning of the pandemic to the end of September 2020 were retrieved manually and by searching the internal websites of the Ministry of Health. All documents about decision-making or governance and coordination mechanisms for the provision of NCDs services were enrolled and analyzed. In the second phase, the status of service delivery for major NCDs was presented in a model, and finally, SWOT analysis was used to analyze the situation and determine the main strategies.    Results: 25 out of 199 circulars and guides were eligible and analyzed. In the crisis phase, most risk assessment, screening, and diagnosis services for NCDs have been suspended, and follow-up and care of patients with major NCDs were done by telephone. In the reopening phase, the general strategies and strategies to increase capacity and provide delayed care were adopted, and the PHC model of the provision of essential services for the major NCDs was developed in low-risk, intermediate and high-risk pandemic conditions. Finally, 16 main strategies were determined with the approach of integrating and focusing on essential services, considering vulnerable groups and the use of E-health technologies.    Conclusion: The results indicate on interruption of NCDs services in the crisis phase while adopting strategies for responding to the pandemic. Revision of the COVID-19 guides with a particular focus on NCDs is recommended.   COVID-19, Non-Communicable Diseases, PHC, Essential Services 1299 1308 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-7242-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Forouzan Akrami akrami@health.gov.ir 200319475328460075476 200319475328460075476 No Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,Tehran, Iran. Sahand Riazi-Isfahani sahand1000@gmail.com 200319475328460075477 200319475328460075477 No National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Alireza Mahdavi Hazaveh a-mahdavi@health.gov.ir 200319475328460075478 200319475328460075478 No Non-Communicable Diseases Department, Deputy of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran Ali Ghanbari Motlagh agmotlagh@yahoo.com 200319475328460075479 200319475328460075479 No Non-Communicable Diseases Department, National Cancer Control Secretariat, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran Mehdi Najmi dr_mnaji@yahoo.com 200319475328460075480 200319475328460075480 No Non-Communicable Diseases Department, Deputy of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran Mehdi Afkar m-afkar@health.gov.ir 200319475328460075481 200319475328460075481 No Tehran Medical Sciences Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Alireza Moghisi a-moghisi@health.gov.ir 200319475328460075482 200319475328460075482 No Non-Communicable Diseases Department, Deputy of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran Mansour Ranjbar ranjbarkahkham@who.int 200319475328460075483 200319475328460075483 No National Professional Officer, NCDs and Mental Health Unit Head, WHO, Iran Christoph Hamelmann hamelmannc@who.int 200319475328460075484 200319475328460075484 No WHO Representative in I.R.I, WHO, Iran Alireza Raeisi dr_alirezaraeisi@gmail.com 200319475328460075485 200319475328460075485 No Department of Internal Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Afshin Ostovar aostovar@tums.ac.ir 200319475328460075486 200319475328460075486 Yes Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, & National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran