The opening ceremony of the “Hospital Managers’ Workshop on Essential Public Health Functions (EPHFs)” was successfully conducted at the Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), under the auspices of the Vice President for International Affairs and with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO).

This significant workshop was organized by the WHO Collaborating Center in close collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) and the WHO Country Office. It brought together hospital managers to explore sustainable and cost-effective strategies for achieving universal health coverage (UHC).

Over the course of two days, from December 22 to 23, 2025, participants will pilot and validate a newly developed training program. Their feedback will be instrumental in refining and localizing the training package for broader application across the Eastern Mediterranean region. By empowering hospital managers to support, promote, and integrate essential public health functions within hospital systems, this initiative represents a crucial step toward enhancing national health security and fostering more resilient health systems.