TEHRAN – Although medicines are exempted from sanctions, the disruption of the banking system makes the importing processes difficult, so, Health Minister [Hassan Qazizadeh-Hashemi] has set up a special working group to address the issue, deputy health minister for international affairs has said.

“Some 5 percent of the medicine and 40 percent of the pharmaceutical raw materials are imported to the country,” IRNA quoted Mohsen Asadi Lari as saying on Saturday.

“We have conducted negotiations to guarantee import of the medicine pharmaceutical raw materials,” he said, adding that while only less than 5 percent of the Iranian pharmaceutical products are provided through import, the amount constitutes 30 percent of financial resources in this sector, and the working group will work to ensure that sanctions do not affect imports.

In recent months, the ministry has taken various measures and conducted negotiations on exporting medicine and ensuring the importation of raw materials from other countries including Oman, Brazil, Turkey and some European countries, he stated.

One of the ministry's efforts is to give priority to export of medicine and medical equipment, he said, adding that, however, this requires cooperation with other related sectors such as the Central Bank, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

High quality of pharmaceutical products is of great importance in exporting medicines and medical equipment, as such products have to live up to international standards, he added.

He went on to say that so the first step to export the pharmaceutical products and medical equipment is raising their quality, which will facilitate the economic growth in health sector.

He expressed hope that the provision of medical products must not be a worry for the public by using all the capabilities of the country tactfully to provide medical requirements of patients.

FB/MQ/MG