Pak-Iran health cooperation to benefit people of both countries: Dr Zafar

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for National Services, Regulations and Coordination Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza on Wednesday said that historical Pak-Iran health cooperation declaration would benefit people of both countries.

In a statement, the minister expressed resolve to improve health system and strengthen primary health-care as key strategy towards achieving universal health coverage in both countries.

He said that uplifting primary healthcare is the answer to meeting myriad challenges in the health sector, the minister said, adding that the two countries can work in close collaboration towards strengthening this important part of healthier system.

Under the agreement both sides resolved to jointly fight cross border transmission of communicable diseases specially Congo fever, TB, HIV-AIDS, Malaria, Dengue and Leishmaniasis.

He added to this end, regular meetings of experts will be held in Quetta and Iranian city of Zahedan.

Recognizing the importance of protecting mothers and children from vaccine preventable diseases, the two sides resolved to work closely to strengthen routine immunization in both the countries.

In this context, it was agreed to assign Iranian immunization technical team to Pakistan with a view to reviewing mechanism for mutual collaboration in improving routine immunization with special focus on measles and polio vaccination in border regions.

A Pakistan technical team of experts in primary health-care will visit Iran to study performance of primary health-care with special focus on family medicine and services being provided by community health workers.

He said that bilateral meetings will also be held to share experiences of both countries in the area of health insurance.

Pakistan is currently implementing Sehat Sahulat Program under which cashless health-care is being provided to the poor across the country, the minister added.

Pakistan and Iran also agreed to initiate a joint project for strengthening of human resource for health which is a major challenge in the country. The project will look at the distribution of health human resource in the deprived area of the country, he  added.

The minister said a joint committee is being nominated to supervise and to facilitate implementation of the agreement reached with Iran.

Dr Zafar Mirza said that as envisioned by Prime Minister Imran Khan, people of Pakistan and Iran who share deep-rooted historical ties and cultural affinities, must come together to improve the lot of people of both countries while learning from each other’s experiences in diverse fields.

He said that the Prime Minister made special mention of improvement in primary health-care since the revolution in Iran and that Pakistan could benefit from Iranian experience in the area.

It is pertinent to mention here that during the recently visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Iran, a landmark health cooperation declaration was signed between the two countries to make closer collaboration in moving towards Universal Health Coverage and fighting spread of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

The declaration was signed on behalf of Pakistan by Health Minister Dr Zafar Mirza and from the Iranian side by Dr Saeed Namaki, Minister of Health and Medical Education Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Prime Minister had included the newly appointed Health Minister in the delegation as soon as he assumed office considering his experience of working as World Health Organization Representative in Iran and in view of the fact that the soft power of health can bring the two people closer.