TEHRAN – Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi and Russia’s deputy health minister Oleg Salagay have discussed ways of enhancing ties in the health sector.

The officials met on Sunday on the sidelines of the eighth meeting of health ministries of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Xi’an, China, the health ministry reported.

During the meeting, Salagay voiced Russia's readiness to expand cooperation with Iran, highlighting the need for the development of interactions among the universities of the two countries, including exchanging students.

The official expressed optimism that signing a memorandum of understanding will lay the basis for the implementation of the reached agreements.

For his part, Zafarqandi stressed promoting joint activities focusing on communicable and non-communicable diseases, manufacturing pharmaceutical products and medical tools, modern and digital health technologies, holding joint scientific conferences, as well as training students based on international standards to achieve high-quality education. 

expanding health ties in line with ‘strategic partnership’

Following the signing of the Treaty on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, the two countries will boost their cooperation in the health sector.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the agreement during an official ceremony in Moscow on January 17. 

As per the agreement, Mohammad-Hossein Niknam, the deputy health minister for international affairs, and Hadi Goudarzi, the counselor of the Iranian Embassy in the Russian Federation, highlighted the significance of fostering collaborations in scientific, research, technology, and educational fields.

Establishing a permanent joint committee, launching a university network, holding meetings of the presidents of top medical universities, and developing a platform for Russian students to study in Iran were among key topics suggested to be followed up on. 

Under the strategic partnership, the two countries will boost collaborations on organizing state-run health system and managing activities in the health sector, preventing and treating communicable and non-communicate diseases, protecting mother and child health, establishing state regulations on distributing medicines and medical devices, promoting a healthy lifestyle, conducting medical researches, utilizing digital technologies in the healthcare system, and providing professional training to health experts, health ministry website reported.

The two sides will also enhance long-term and constructive relations in higher education, science, technology, and innovation; implement joint scientific and technical projects, and develop interactions among interested educational and scientific institutions.

Exchanging professors and students, sharing scientific and technical knowledge, scientific literature, periodicals, and bibliographies, as well as holding joint conferences, meetings, and exhibitions were among other parts of the agreement.

MT/MG