TEHRAN (Iran News) –Health Minister Bahram Einollahi and his Tajik counterpart Jamaluddin Abdullahzadeh inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand medical and health cooperation.

In a meeting on Monday in Tehran, Einollahi stated that one of our major goals is a broad and strong relationship with the neighboring countries, especially Tajikistan, to develop practical cooperation.

To carry out joint activities in the fields of information and knowledge exchange, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health insurance, medical education, medical equipment as well as cooperation with the World Health Organization, we are fully prepared, he noted.

“We have a fundamental problem in the country, and that is the cruel and inhumane sanctions of America and Europe against Iran. Although, in the end, this threat became an opportunity for us and we were able to achieve self-sufficiency and even export in many fields, for example, in the field of coronavirus vaccine and medicine, where we produced 98 percent of the medicine, through the knowledge-based developments,” he explained.

Ahmed al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization director for Eastern Mediterranean Region, has said Iran is a role model for primary health care.

Pointing to 800 research centers active in the country, he expressed readiness to begin joint research activities.

Abdullahzadeh also announced his readiness for more joint cooperation in the field of health with Iran and invited the Minister of Health and the President of Iran to visit Tajikistan.

Strongest health system in the region

Earlier in September, Einollahi said that Iran has one of the strongest health systems in the region and this opportunity should be used optimally in the field of health diplomacy.

Based on innovative indicators of health technology development in 2021, Iran was ranked 60th among 132 countries, which shows an improvement of 60 steps compared to 2014, the deputy health minister for research and technology, has announced.

A total of 1,670 knowledge-based firms are operating in the health sector, ISNA quoted Younes Panahi as saying.

He added that there are 13 science and technology parks and 95 technology growth centers in the field of health, while 343 technological products have so far been licensed, and 335 inventions in medical sciences have been patented.

The health technology development is evaluated by the Global Innovation Index with seven indicators, including institutional structure, human capital and research, infrastructure, market and business complexity, technological knowledge, and creativity, he explained.

In June 2021, Ahmed al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization director for Eastern Mediterranean Region, said the Islamic Republic of Iran is a role model for primary health care.