TEHRAN – Iran’s Zahedan University of Medical Sciences and Pakistan’s University of Lahore set to deepen cooperation in health tourism and medical sciences.

In a promising development bridging health tourism and scientific diplomacy, the President of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences has outlined forthcoming collaborations with Pakistan's University of Lahore, ISNA reported on Sunday.

Dr. Habib Ghaznavi, addressing colleagues during a video conference with the University of Lahore, highlighted Zahedan University of Medical Sciences’ prestigious status in the country, saying this partnership is aimed at fostering bi-national cooperation in Iran’s southeastern region, the report said.

He further emphasized the extensive border connections between the Sistan-Baluchestan regions in Iran and Pakistan, underscoring the cultural proximity and the high quality of educational standards, which constitute some of the advantages for academically inclined Pakistani students studying at this university.

Zahedan University of Medical Sciences comprises seven faculties encompassing medicine, paramedicine, dentistry, nursing and midwifery, public health, rehabilitation sciences, and an institute of higher health education, Ghaznavi said.

Expressing the university's keenness on strategically expanding international relations and collaborations in the domains of educational, healthcare, and medical services with Pakistan, Ghaznavi noted that the university has secured necessary permits, infrastructure, and human resources across various sectors, hoping that these efforts will yield fruitful collaborations between the two institutions.

Also, Dr. Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, the advisor to the president of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences on international affairs, emphasized the university's interest in potential joint research activities with the University of Lahore.

Tabatabaei highlighted the significance of collaborative research initiatives in addressing prevalent diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, tuberculosis, and other health challenges in the region.

The collaborative effort between the two universities is intended to establish a promising path for the advancement of medical services, educational excellence, and scientific collaboration between Iran and Pakistan.

Iran was ranked 46th destination for medical tourism [within the 2020-2021 Medical Tourism Index]. According to available data, patients from neighboring countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Armenia, and Tajikistan, constitute the lion’s share of medical tourists arriving in the Islamic Republic.

Experts say medical tourism in Iran is a win-win opportunity both for the country and foreign patients, as they are offered affordable yet quality treatment services and the country gains considerable foreign currency.

The Islamic Republic is branded globally as an affordable destination for health and medical tourism. Credible surgeons and physicians, cutting-edge medical technologies, high-tech medicine and diverse specializations, affordable procedures, and finally, its hospitable people, are considered Iran’s trump card when it comes to medical tourism.

AFM