Alireza Marandi (; born 1939) is an Iranian politician,

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

, and professor of

Pediatrics Pediatrics (American English) also spelled paediatrics (British English), is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, Adolescence, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, pediatrics covers many o ...

and

Neonatology Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics that consists of the medical care of newborn infants, especially the ill or premature newborn. It is a hospital-based specialty and is usually practised in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Th ...

at the

Shahid Beheshti University Shahid Beheshti University (SBU) (), originally founded as the Melli University (National University of Iran) (), is a Public university, public research university in Tehran, Iran. The university offers programs at Bachelor's, Master's and Ph. ...

. He was also an associate professor at

Wright State University Wright State University is a public research university in Fairborn, Ohio, United States. Originally opened in 1964 as a branch campus of Miami University and Ohio State University, it became an independent institution in 1967 and was named in ...

before returning to Iran during the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...

. Marandi is a former two-term Minister of Health (and Medical Education) during the premiership of

Mir Hossein Mousavi ''Mir'' (, ; ) was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, first by the Soviet Union and later by the Russian Federation. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to 19 ...

as well as the second-term presidency of Mr. H. Rafsanjani. Medical education was integrated with health care delivery during his nine years in office. In each of the 29 provinces, one University of Medical Sciences was established, thus making the country self-sufficient in health and human resources. In addition to being Minister, Dr. Marandi also served as Deputy Minister and Advisory to the Minister. Marandi is Chairman of the Iranian Society of Neonatologists; the Board of Directors of the

Islamic Republic The term Islamic republic has been used in different ways. Some Muslim religious leaders have used it as the name for a form of Islamic theocratic government enforcing sharia, or laws compatible with sharia. The term has also been used for a s ...

of Iran

Breastfeeding Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the process where breast milk is fed to a child. Infants may suck the milk directly from the breast, or milk may be extracted with a Breast pump, pump and then fed to the infant. The World Health Orga ...

Promotion Society; and the National Committee for the Reduction of

Perinatal Mortality Perinatal mortality (PNM) is the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. ''Perinatal'' means "relating to the period starting a few weeks before birth and including the birth and a few weeks after bi ...

and Morbidity. He is also the laureate recipient of the United Nations Population Award (1999) and WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region's Shousha Award (2000). He is currently a commissioner of the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

(WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health and a recognized expert on pediatric and neonatal health issues. Of his major contributions was a highly successful national vaccination program (which also included a program for terminating

polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...

in Iran), the significant reduction of infant and child mortality rates, as well as organizing one of the most successful national birth control programs in the World. Marandi was elected as an MP from Tehran in the 2008 Iranian parliamentary elections. Around 1,700 candidates were barred from running by the Guardian Council vetting body, the Supervisory and Executive Election Boards. The Supreme Leader of Iran is among the patients he has attended in his private medical practice. He is the father of Mohammad Marandi.

References

Government ministers of Iran Iranian pediatricians Academic staff of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Living people Wright State University faculty 1939 births Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces politicians Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame recipients in Medicine Dr A.T. Shousha Foundation Prize and Fellowship laureates People from Isfahan {{Iran-med-bio-stub