TEHRAN – The International Exhibition of Pharmaceuticals and Related Industries (IRAN PHARMA 2024) will be held from October 2 to 4 in Tehran.

The event will gather many pharmaceutical specialists from regional countries, as well as from Africa, South America, and East Asia.

The exhibition serves as a platform for participants to share knowledge and experiences through holding specialized meetings; showcase their latest achievements, capabilities, and pharmaceutical products to draw investors’ interest; as well as identify gaps in different sectors to resolve them later.

The International Exhibition on Pharmaceuticals and Related Industries, one of the largest pharmaceutical events of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, is held by the Iranian Pharmaceutical Industries Syndicate, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, and other associations, syndicates, and health-related bodies.

Each edition hosts a number of sub-events, aimed at expanding contributions and innovative collaborations in the pharmaceutical sector, capabilities transfer, networking, establishing export markets, and identifying the opportunities for investing in pharmaceutical technologies.

Keynote speeches, scientific and syndicate panels, B2B and multilateral trade meetings, syndicate conventions, interactive competitions and challenges, health-related book and media fairs, and student tours have been among the side events in the past few years.

Africa welcomes Iranian medical equipment, medicine

Eleven Iranian pharmaceutical manufacturing companies have taken important steps towards presenting their products in East African markets.

Thanks to the efforts of the iHiT in Kenya and the support of the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, 13 different production lines in 11 pharmaceutical companies were inspected by the ministry of health of Kenya and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certificates were issued, IRIB reported.

The move plays an important role in strengthening the status of Iran's pharmaceutical industry in the region.

In January 2021, Iran opened its house of innovation and technology in Kenya and the first center in Africa.

The center serves as a base for the creation of innovative ideas, the commercialization of these ideas, and the export of Iranian knowledge-based products and services to the East African market.

On December 19, 2023, the deputy health minister of Libya met with the head of the Food and Drug Administration of Iran, discussing ways to cooperate on producing medical and pharmaceutical products.

During the meeting, which was held in Tehran, the officials also agreed on sharing experiences in research, education, blood transfusion, emergency services, and technology.

“Iran is a leading country in the field of health so we are ready to cooperate with Iran in various fields of health and medicine,” IRNA quoted the Libyan official as saying.

He added Libya is interested in benefiting from Iran's experience and knowledge in the field of pharmaceutical production, medical equipment, and research.

Moreover, Mohammad Hossein Niknam, the deputy health minister for international cooperation, highlighting the importance of health in the world said, “Iran is ready to identify fields of cooperation and expand collaboration in the field of health with Libya.”

The parties put forward some proposals to further cooperation in the field of health. These proposals are to be reviewed and implemented in the coming days in meetings, during the visits of the delegation of the Libyan Ministry of Health to Iran’s health centers.

Over 60 countries import Iranian medical equipment

On January 13, the head of Iran’s Union of Medical Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters said that medical equipment worth around $20 million is exported to more than 60 countries annually.

More than 70 percent of medical equipment and 100 percent of normal hospital beds are domestically made, IRNA quoted Abdolreza Yaqoubzadeh as saying.

Also, over 95 percent of specific ICU and CCU beds and more than 85 percent of operating room medical equipment such as anesthesia machines and other equipment are manufactured with cutting-edge technology in the country, he added.

Yaqoubzadeh went on to say that the country's need for medical equipment production is three to four billion dollars per year, some one billion dollars of which is imported.

MT/MG