Health Minister: localizing Pharmaceutical Industry through agreements with international companies is a quantum step

INA-  Baghdad

The Minister of Health, Saleh Al-Hasnawi, on Thursday, separated the achievement of food security through the localization of industry and the transfer of technology to inside Iraq, while stressing that the signing of agreements with leading international companies represents a qualitative leap to localize the pharmaceutical industry.

 Al-Hasnawi said, at the conference of the launch of the peritoneal dialysis program, and attended by a correspondent of the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, began with its government program, led by the health program."  

He added that "the health insurance law entered into force, as the Council of Ministers approved the second phase of the first procedure to include 700,000 citizens, bringing the number of covered to one million citizens in Baghdad province only."

He pointed out that "the government program includes the management of modern hospitals in cooperation with the foreign private sector, as we have completed the signing of contracts with 6 modern hospitals, some of which have started work, such as Najaf Al-Ashraf Teaching Hospital and Al-Hakim Hospital in Maysan." 

 "The government programme focused on specialized centres, where contracts were signed to establish specialized centres in cancer and oncology in four provinces, where there was no radiotherapy centre, and we started providing treatments in all provinces of Iraq," al-Hasnawi said.  

 He stressed that "pharmaceutical security can only be achieved through the localization of the pharmaceutical industry and the transfer of technology to the interior of the country, as we have moved from local manufacturing to cooperation with international companies to transfer technology and move the pharmaceutical industry and medical supplies forward."

He pointed out that "one of the duties of the ministry is to develop plans and visions to develop the health system, whether in the private or public sectors, and the kidney disease sector is of great importance to the Ministry of Health and achieve health security stability in Iraq."  

 He continued: "We will move from dialysis centers to centers providing integrated services for kidney diseases in these centers, where a plan has been prepared in the advisory committee with professors of nephrology in medical schools and consultants in the Ministry of Health, to move from dialysis centers to multiple centers to centers in the districts."  

 The Minister of Health stressed, "Medical services can only be achieved through controlling medical practices and adopting treatment protocols," adding: "I have full confidence in the cadres of the Ministry of Health to abide by these controls."

He pointed out that "the signing of agreements with leading international companies represents a major qualitative leap, so we are keen to provide all facilities, and we called it the first package to localize the pharmaceutical industry, and it will provide unprecedented facilities."

  For his part, the director of the American company Baxter, said during the press conference: "The company filmed a number of treatments during the past years and this project is a continuation of previous projects."

  He added: "We are working to develop dialysis, keep patients healthy and increase life chances," noting that "there are many studies that confirm that there is a great benefit for patients."

  "We are trying to have the patient outside the hospital and be able to be treated at home," he said. 

 For his part, the director of the American company Baxter: "We are pleased to sign such a project in Iraq," noting that "the company filmed a number of treatments during the past years and this project is a continuation of previous projects."

   "We are happy to help Iraqi patients and provide them with assistance, and we are open and happy to provide services to patients and we are working to develop dialysis, keep patients healthy and increase life chances," he said. 

"We want the patient to be outside the hospital and be able to be treated at home," he said, expressing his "happiness in partnership with the Ministry of Health."