TEHRAN – The Iraqi cultural and academic advisor in Tehran has called for the expansion of health and medical cooperation with Iran.

“We are very pleased that memorandums of understanding in the field of health and higher education have been signed between Iran’s Ministry of Health and Iraq’s ministries of health and higher education,” Yasser Abdulzahra, said.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran with Health Minister Bahram Einollahi.

“While adhering to these agreements, we want to expand cooperation between Iran and Iraq in all areas,” the Iraqi official stressed.

He went on to say that over 80,000 Iraqi students are studying in Iran, and more than 40 Iraqi chancellors participated in the Science Week conference held in Mashhad in October 2023, which signifies the close academic relations between Iran and Iraq. “We hope to be able to implement the road map prepared by the Ministry of Health of Iran.”

Einollahi for his part said that cooperation between Iran and Iraq in the field of health should be unlimited.

“We emphasize these interactions to extend and include Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, the Ministry of Health website quoted Einollahi as saying.

He went on to say that Iran is ready to cooperate with Iraq at all levels including academic training or short-term training courses and hopes that cooperation will lead to meeting the needs of the health sector in Iraq including specialist, subspecialist, and fellowship.

Iran, Iraq promoting health diplomacy

 In July 2023, Einollahi and his Iraqi counterpart Saleh Al-Hasnawi inked a memorandum of understanding.

The Iraqi official called for importing Iranian technology and expertise in medicine.

“We started registering Iranian medicine in 2003. Thousands of Iraqi students are studying in Iran in various fields,” he added.

Einollahi, for his part, said that the fifth joint committee for economic cooperation was held two months ago, with the issue of health as one of the main topics of discussion.

“It was decided that the pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies of the two countries should cooperate more with each other.”

Earlier this month, Einollahi said health diplomacy is one of the areas that can deepen relations between countries in the region.

There are many common issues for cooperation in the field of health between countries, he said, adding that the government's strategy is to strengthen foreign policy, especially with neighboring countries, IRNA reported.

Einollahi said in April that many countries in the region are asking Iran for help with issues related to health.

In May, Iran hosted the 26th G5 High-Level Experts Meeting on Health Cooperation and the 1st Healthcare Leadership and Governance Training Program.

G5 countries (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, plus the World Health Organization) took part in the meeting with the theme of “Joint Work for Solving Joint Health Problems.”

Addressing the opening ceremony, Einollahi referred to the unity and cooperation of the countries in the fields of health, treatment, and medical education as a historical necessity.

Achieving, maintaining, and promoting health is never possible in a regional way and does not happen in an isolated region, but requires the cooperation of countries, especially neighboring countries, he stressed.

In December 2022, in a meeting in Baghdad, the two officials addressed the ways of professor exchange and Iraqi students’ use of Iranian medical experiences.

Al-Hasnawi said that a special working group, consisting of Iranian and Iraqi specialists, to promote medical cooperation was planned to be formed, and Iran’s medical experiences would be used in the treatment of rare and incurable diseases.

Emphasizing the need to expand medical cooperation between the two countries, he proposed to use of Iranian medical equipment and supplies.

Einollahi also announced that the first international branch of Tehran University of Medical Sciences would open in Karbala.

A meeting was also held with the focus of holding training courses focused on the treatment of various diseases, including cancer, IRNA reported.

MT/MG