Tehran Times reported today that Jamoliddin Abdullo Abdullozoda, the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan, has said importing medicine and medical equipment from Iran is a necessity.

            “Holding retraining courses for our specialists by Iranian professors and importing medicine and medical equipment from Iran are among our needs,” he was quoted as saying yesterday at a meeting with Iranian Health Minister Bahram Einollahi in in Dushanbe.

            Currently, the medicine required by Tajikistan is supplied by 11 Iranian pharmaceutical companies, Abdullozoda said, adding that the capacity of herbal and medicinal plants of Tajikistan can also be provided to Iranian pharmaceutical specialists, the Health Ministry’s website reported.

            “My trip to Iran brought many experiences in the field of health, healthcare, and treatment, especially dental and laboratory equipment were worthy of attention in Iran.”

            IRNA reported on July 16 that Iran's Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has announced that the country is planning to appoint a first health attaché to Tajikistan where Iran plans to increase its pharmaceutical marketing activity.

            Bahram Einollahi reportedly said during a visit to Dushanbe on Sunday that the appointment of health attaché to Tajikistani will also be aimed at attracting more health tourism from the Central Asian country to Iran.

            The Islamic Republic is after opening up a market for Iranian medical products in Tajikistan, the minister said, adding that Iranian health attaché will be appointed to other friendly countries in the future.

            According to IRNA, the Iranian health minister arrived in Dushanbe on July 16 on a two-day visit. 

            Tehran Times says Einollahi and Abdullozoda in October 2022 inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand medical and health cooperation.

            Einollahi stated that one of their major goals is a broad and strong relationship with the neighboring countries, especially Tajikistan, to develop practical cooperation.

            “To carry out joint activities in the fields of information and knowledge exchange, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health insurance, medical education, medical equipment as well as cooperation with the World Health Organization, we are fully prepared,” he noted.

            In September 2022, Einollahi reportedly said that Iran has one of the strongest health systems in the region and that this opportunity should be used optimally in the field of health diplomacy.

            Based on innovative indicators of health technology development in 2021, Iran was ranked 60th among 132 countries, which shows an improvement of 60 steps compared to 2014. 

            A total of 1,670 knowledge-based firms are reportedly operating in Iran’s health sector.  Besides, there are 13 science and technology parks and 95 technology growth centers in the field of health, while 343 technological products have so far been licensed, and 335 inventions in medical sciences have been patented.