Visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran

On September 22, the visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in the educational institution "Belarusian State Medical University". The delegation included Dr. Abolfazl Bagherifard – Deputy Minister of Education of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Dr. Kazem Ghahremanzadeh – Head of the Department of Educational Services of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Gholamreza Hassanzadeh – Secretary of the Supreme Planning Council of Medical Sciences, Dr. Ebrahim Kalantar Mehrjerdi – Secretary of the National Council for Equity, Development and Efficiency in Medical Education, Ahmed Heidarian – Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Scientific Issues, Alireza Koohkan – Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Scientific Diplomacy, Hadi Goudarzi – Scientific Adviser and Curator of Iranian students in Russia and Belarus, Alireza Sanei – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Belarus, Ali Seif – Third Secretary of the Diplomatic Mission of Iran in Belarus.
On the Belarusian side, the negotiations were attended by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Belarus Dmitry Pinevich, the First Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Belarus Elena Krotkova, the Rector of the Belarusian State Medical University, Corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Sergei Rubnikovich and the Vice-Rector for International Relations, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Vasili Roudenok.
The meeting took place in several stages. First, there was a presentation of the leading medical institution of higher education in Belarus, which was conducted by Sergei Rubnikovich. He stressed that currently 116 students from Iran are studying at Belarusian State Medical University, who show decent results in mastering the wisdom of medicine. And among the Iranian graduates there are holders of diplomas with honors.
The Rector thanked the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Belarus for cooperation and noted that Alireza Sanei, despite his busy schedule, finds time to discuss pressing issues of mutual interest with the leadership of Belarusian State Medical University.
Informal communication with foreign guests continued during a tour of the educational institution, which included a visit to the Simulation and Attestation Center and the University Dental Clinic, where there was an opportunity to observe the practice-oriented learning. Then the parties continued the conversation.
Addressing the participants of the foreign delegation, Dmitry Pinevich stressed the strategic level of cooperation between the Belarusian and Iranian states. Among the promising areas, the Minister of Health called cooperation in the field of pharmacy. By the way, Iranian companies were represented at the international exhibition "Healthcare of Belarus – 2023".
As for higher medical education, the licensing requirements for the educational process, the training of teaching staff, and the activities of clinical bases have been inherited in the Republic of Belarus since Soviet times. A great place is occupied by the practice-oriented training carried out both in the Simulation Center and (necessarily) at the patient's bedside. Thus, high standards are laid down in the field of education, which must meet the needs of states whose citizens receive their chosen profession in Belarus – a doctor or a pharmacist.
Dr. Abolfazl Bagherifard noted that the visit of Alexander Lukashenko to Iran was a turning point in relations between Minsk and Tehran. The leaders of the two countries agreed to develop cooperation in all spheres. And the meeting at Belarusian State Medical University takes bilateral contacts to a new height.
The Iranian side proposed three ways of interaction to begin with: the first is the arrival of students at Belarusian State Medical University without help of intermediaries (while the number of students from Iran should be proportional to the number of students from other countries); the second is research cooperation between Belarusian State Medical University and Iranian universities; exchange of medical equipment that is produced in Iran and Belarus (for example, for simulation training).
The Deputy Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Educational Issues paid special attention to ensuring the proper quality of training of medical specialists.
According to Dr. Abolfazl Bagherifard, in the next few months it is planned to resume the procedure of recognition of Belarusian diplomas in the Islamic Republic of Iran without passing the appropriate exam. Work in this regard is already underway.
At the end of the meeting, the parties exchanged gifts.