The Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Health, and Women Development Ms. Sherry Rehman who is leading delegation to the World Health Assembly at Geneva met her counterparts of India, Afghanistan and Iran on the sidelines of the Assembly.

In her meeting with the Indian Minister for Health H.E. Mr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Ms Rehman expressed sympathies over the tragic loss of lives during the recent bomb blast in Jaipur.

Both the ministers agreed to cooperate in the fields of primary healthcare, telemedicine, pharmaceutical research, and vaccine production. Keeping in view the similar epidemiological/disease profile in both countries, they agreed to further strengthen collaboration in the health sector through subsequent meetings.

The Pakistani and Indian sides during the meeting identified key areas including: exchange of information and expertise for polio eradication, emergency preparedness and disaster management, integrated disease surveillance, encouraging participation of experts in conferences and seminars, and exchange of experience and expertise in health sector success stories e.g. Lady Health Workers Programme in Pakistan. Indian Minister for Health accepted Ms Sherry Rehman’s invitation to visit Pakistan.

Dr. Faiz Ullah Kakar, Deputy Minister for Health of Afghanistan also called on the Minister for Health Ms. Sherry Rehman. Dr. Kakar thanked the Government of Pakistan for building Jinnah Hospital in Afghanistan. He desired for more assistance from Pakistan in terms of training for the health workers in managing mental health, and training of nurses, paramedics and midwives.

Both the ministers also discussed the modalities of a joint proposal to be submitted to the Global Fund (GFATM) for Tuberculosis control. This proposal will be the first of its kind of joint collaboration in fighting the disease. Ms Rehman assured that Pakistan will be pleased to provide every possible assistance for the health sector of Afghanistan. She invited a delegation from Ministry of Health, Afghanistan to visit Pakistan in near future to finalize the details of the assistance required.

Iranian Minister for Health and Medical Education H.E. Mr. Kamran Baqeri-Lankarani also met Ms Sherry Rehman and discussed matters of joint collaboration in the health sector. Both the ministers agreed on cooperation in disaster management and vaccine production. They agreed to learn from each other’s experiences in order to further improve health sectors in their respective countries.

Ms Rehman accepted and thanked the Iranian government for offering to establish a workshop for artificial limbs in Islamabad. Dr. Hussain A. Geaizary, Regional Director of Easter Mediterranean of WHO also called on the Minister for Health.

She thanked the WHO for its assistance for uplift of health sector in Pakistan. The Minister reiterated that the Government of Pakistan is committed to eradicate polio. Dr. Geaizary assured that the WHO will continue to provide assistance to achieve the goal of polio eradication.

End.

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