TEHRAN – An Iranian delegation headed by Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has attended the 69th session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, being held in Cairo, Egypt on October 10-13.

This summit includes three sections a pre-summit, a specialized section, and side meetings where important health issues at the level of regional countries are discussed in the form of documents, and the output of these documents is provided in the form of resolutions, road maps, approved measures and action plans for policy-making and planning at national levels.

Key technical health issues on the agenda include a global strategy for infection prevention and control.On Tuesday, Einollahi will give a speech and discuss the important health issues of Iran and the region.

Also, in order to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation, he will meet some health ministers of the member countries.

Key technical health issues on the agenda include a global strategy on infection prevention and control, the Global Health for Peace Initiative, well-being and health promotion, advancing the implementation of One Health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and a regional strategy for fostering digital health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (2023–2027).

Health development

Earlier in September, Einoullahi 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.

FB/MG