Health Minister: Regional Health and Security Cooperation to Combat Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances

INA-  BAGHDAD



Health Minister Saleh al-Hasnawi emphasized on Thursday that the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shi'a Al-Sudani has paid special attention to combating addiction and misuse of drugs and psychotropic substances, pointing out that there is regional security and health cooperation to combat narcotics and psychotropic substances.

Al-Hasnawi said at the fifth international conference of the Iraqi Psychiatric Association, attended by a reporter of the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shi'a Al-Sudani has given the health sector wide attention and priority, and among the foundations adopted by the government program for health is the fight against addiction and the misuse of drugs and psychotropic substances,” he said, noting that “the Ministry of Health has done a great deal of work in addition to the Parliament and other ministries.”


“The Supreme National Authority for Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances continued to develop important strategies and the Cabinet approved the national strategy to combat drugs,” he said, pointing out that ”there is regional cooperation, once on the security and intelligence side and again on the health side with the participation of United Nations organizations such as the United Nations Crime and Drug Control Organization and the World Health Organization.”

“Mental health is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health and there are a number of projects, some of which have become a reality and others are on their way to becoming a reality,” he said.