Iran has proposed that BRICS countries create a structured health diplomacy platform. Epidemiologist and public health researcher at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Ahmad Mehri made the proposal during the TV BRICS programme “BRICSdialogue”.
“I would propose creating a more structured BRICS health diplomacy platform with regular contacts between officials, specialised universities, medical associations, researchers and private companies. Health diplomacy should ultimately lead to practical projects that directly improve people’s health,” he said.
Mehri proposed concluding international agreements on specialist training. According to him, this would involve students, medical residents and qualified specialists who could study at universities and undertake practical training at clinics in Iran. The exchange, the expert noted, should be mutual: the programmes would also enable Iranian researchers and medical professionals to learn from the experience of BRICS partners.
“Iran can develop joint research programmes in areas such as the prevention and treatment of infectious, oncological and cardiovascular diseases, ageing-related issues, as well as biotechnology, artificial intelligence and digital healthcare,” he noted.
According to Ahmad Mehri, the achievements of Iranian medicine are the result of almost 50 years of continuous development. He identified the effective use of national potential, highly qualified personnel, active public participation, an extensive network of medical institutions and a continuous flow of investment as its foundations.
Iran maintains the resilience of its pharmaceutical industry and is developing an approach to controlling non-communicable diseases. The country has established an extensive primary healthcare network and a training base for specialists, including in highly specialised fields. According to the expert, the country has a high level of medical expertise, access to advanced technologies and competitive treatment costs.