Erbil, 28 January 2009 - A consultative meeting on the development of industrial zones in Kurdistan Region of Government (KRG) was held in Erbil on Jan 16, 2009 under the patronage of their Excellencies the Minister of Health Dr. Abdul-Rahman Othman and the Minister of Environment Dr. Darah Mohammad Ameen of Kurdistan Region in presence of Dr.Naeema Al-Gasseer, WHO Representative for Iraq and 15 participants representing other relevant KRG ministries and institutions.
The main purpose of the meeting was to endorse a series of recommendations formulated by WHO international consultants as a result of 6 days assessment missions to 5 identified industrial sites (2 for medical plants and 3 as industrial zoning in Suleimaniyah and Erbil) with the objectives of advising Kurdistan Investment Board on future development of Pharmaceutical Industry zone in Iraq KRG.
This was in response to a request from the Kurdistan Investment Board addressed to WHO and UNIDO to provide technical, logistical and financial support to KRG as a step to flourish the development of pharmaceutical sector industrial zones and this field mission was an outcome of a previous technical consultation meeting conducted in Amman January 2009.
The WHO consultants included two Jordanian experts from the Jordan Industrial Estate Corporation (JIEC) and Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) and a WHO medical engineer consultant. They stated that KRG has very good potentials to develop a sound and competitive international pharmaceutical industrial zone in the near future. Some of the the recommendations were having a strong medicine policies and regulation so as to protect public health interests, conducting regular training of lab technologists who will be needed for the regional Quality Control Laboratory as well as making the necessary steps for the planning process.
H.E the Minister of Health said that " ensuring availability and affordability of medicines in the region is one of the ministry's priority and constructing small Drug Manufacturing Factories is our short term vision while attracting investors to construct drug pharmaceutical zone is our mid term strategy " . He added that " Iraq is eager to ensure that patients have access to safe and effective medical products through the establishment of an Iraqi advanced and specialized pharmaceutical industrial zones"
The Minister of Environment stated that "adherence environmental international measures and conduct Environmental impact assessment is key condition to start any project in KRG which will be followed by monitoring and evaluation on regular basis". He also added that "environmental health is our concern to save our next generation.”
Dr. Naeema Al-Gasseer, WHO Representative for Iraq in her remarks illustrated the importance of promoting equity and sustainability of pharmaceutical sector through ensuring access, quality and rational use. She also explained how this WHO/UNIDO project will meet the MDG through promoting primary health care and environmental sustainable development. She also conveyed to the audience the perspective and vision conveyed by Dr Ghezary Hussein, Regional Director for WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region for achieving regional self-sufficiency for essential medicines.
PR Strengthening the Pharmaceutical Industry and Utilization of Local Grown Medical Plants in Iraq avilable in English
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