6 July 2017 – Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, paid a visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, during which he met with H.E. Dr Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi, Minister of Health and Medical Education and high-level officials. During the 3-day visit, Dr Fikri also participated in a consultative meeting on addressing the challenge of antimicrobial resistance held 3–4 July 2017. Below are some highlights of the Regional Director's visit:

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, the WHO Regional Director for Eastern Mediterranean, began his schedule with an early morning visit to the Shahid Kazemian Urban Comprehensive Health Center, accompanied by Dr Ali Akbar Sayyari, Deputy Minister for Public Health, followed by the meeting with H.E. the Minister of Health Dr Hashemi and a press conference.

After his visit to the Centre and meeting with the Minister of Health, Dr Fikri joined a consultative meeting to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance, held at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Through his speech, Dr Fikri emphasized the importance of addressing this issue, urging Member States to follow WHO guidance and United Nations strategies on antimicrobial resistance and acknowledged the achievement of Islamic Republic of Iran as a pioneering state in establishing a framework to address the issue. 

Dr Fikri then visited the WHO country office to meet Dr Sameen Sidiqi, WHO Representative in Islamic Republic of Iran as well as WHO staff members, after which he met with Dr Ali Akbar Sayyari, Deputy Minister for Public Health.

He also attended a meeting with the members of the National Committee on Prevention and Control of NonCommunicable Diseases before visiting Sharif Municipality Health House in Tehran’s downtown. Before Dr Fikri’s departure from Islamic Republic of Iran on the evening of 4 July, he visited the Observatory followed by a reception at Milad Tower.