TEHRAN — Iran is looking for partners to invest in the country’s health sector in the post-sanction era, Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi has said, ISNA reported on Saturday.

“We crave for direct transactions with pharmaceutical companies without any intermediates as it lowers the chances of any attempted fraud and helps cut the prices,” the minister said. “It also certifies the authenticity of the goods.”

In line with the Islamic Republic’s policies to reduce the country’s dependence on import, the Health Ministry is seeking for investors in health sector to create a prosperous and strong economy, he explained, IRNA reported on Friday.

“To build a robust economy we need to increase export and restrict import as much as possible and try hard to produce goods of comparable quality to other countries,” Qazizadeh Hashemi reiterated.

“Currently 96 percent of the drugs are being produced in Iran and every year we come up with eight to ten new formulas for drugs,” he highlighted.

Iran is at the top regarding science production in the region and ranks 15 to 17 (depending on different international scales) in the world, he stated.

40 percent of the knowledge production is restricted to medical sciences, he noted.

The minister also pointed to Iran’s Pasteur Institute which is more than 100 years old and used to provide both Asia and some parts of Africa with vaccines.

Qazizadeh Hashemi noted the removal of sanctions can help medical students, faculties and researchers exchange information with the world.

MQ/P