The Minister of Health, Dr. Saleh Mahdi Al-Hasnawi, met today, Monday, with the Director of Commercial Affairs of the Emirati pharmaceutical company Julphar, Nasser Tahnoun, on the sidelines of the Iraqi-Emirati Business Forum, to discuss prospects for pharmaceutical cooperation and the localization of the pharmaceutical industry.

The Ministry of Health stated in a statement, "The minister discussed during the meeting the steps of the Ministry of Health and government support to localize the pharmaceutical industry and open the national factory to secure Iraq's need for medicines and medical supplies."

The statement added, "Al-Hasnawi discussed with Julphar the bilateral pharmaceutical cooperation and the possibility of a partnership to open pharmaceutical factories to support the national pharmaceutical industry inside Iraq to meet the needs of health institutions, as well as employ Iraqi manpower and reduce costs without the need for import."

The minister affirmed, "The Ministry's support for the pharmaceutical industry is within the government's approach to localizing the local industry."

Source: National Iraqi News Agency