Malaysia and Iraq to cooperate in health-related areas
Iraq-Malaysia, Health, 3/20/2001

Malaysia and Iraq have agreed to develop cooperation between their hospitals, medical institutions and universities, Malaysian news agency "BERNAMA" reports quoting health minister Chua Jui Meng.

The Malaysian official Malaysian health institutions were prepared to provide short- and long-term training programs for the Iraqi people.

"We have agreed with the minister to have twinning programs between hospitals, medical institutions and universities in Malaysia and those in Iraq," he said when briefing reporters on his meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Omed Midhat Mubarak here recently.

The two ministers signed a letter of intent to cooperate in health-related areas like hospital care, preventive care, healthcare, medical science, pharmaceutical and medical supply as well as providing professional training for physicians.

Chua said the Iraqi minister would also look into fast-tracking the registration of Malaysian pharmaceutical and medical products so that the procedure could be settled within two months.

Chua said Iraq was facing difficulties to support good healthcare and medical systems due to the lack of resources caused by economic sanctions, enforced against the Arab country in 1990.

The Malaysian minister expressed sadness over the effects of sanctions on Iraq's medical and health services, deploring the violation of basic rights of Iraqi women and children.

He was on a four-day official visit here with senior ministry officials, university lecturers and medical-related companies to look at the situation and opportunities in Iraq, especially in the areas of preventive care, primary healthcare and medical education.

chua urged more Malaysian companies to participate in Iraq's oil-for-food program which allows Iraq to sell its oil to get funds to ease the difficulties faced by the country and its people.

For example, Malaysian healthcare-related companies could assist Iraq in its plan to increase the number of hospital beds from 30,000 to 60,000, he said.

Meanwhile, he said president Saddam Hussein had indicated that Malaysia should be given priority in the Oil-For-Food program given the good relations between Baghdad and Kuala Lumpur.

Previous Stories:
  Iraq, Russia for boosting health cooperation   (1/24/2001)
  Half million Iraqi children die from the economic embargo   (4/14/2000)
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