Belarussian Doctors and Manufacturers of Medical Goods Visiting Iraq

Today sees the beginning of a visit to Iraq by Nikolai Ivanchenko, the chairman of the Belarussian part of the Belarus-Iraq commission on trade and economic cooperation and deputy head of the Belarussian president's administration. This was announced yesterday at a briefing of journalists in Minsk by Andrei Savinykh, the deputy head of the Belarussian Foreign Ministry's information department.

According to Savinykh, the main purpose of the visit is to take part in the Belarussian Medicine Days in Iraq. 'This event is organised by our health ministry and the Belbiopharm concern as part of an agreement reached during Iraqi Health Minister Omed Mubarak's visit to Minsk in November,' said Savinykh.

It is expected that leading Belarussian specialists in cardiology, oncology, and facial surgery will hold consultations and give lectures to Iraqi doctors, as well as familiarizing themselves with the conditions in which surgical operations are carried out in Iraq's hospitals. It is also planned to hold an exhibition of medical equipment and medicines manufactured by Belarussian companies.

In addition, said Andrei Savinykh, a meeting of the joint commission will be held in Baghdad. At the meeting, the commission will determine 'Iraq's requirements regarding Belarussian goods within the framework of the UN's 'Oil for Food' programme.' The Belarussian Foreign Ministry announced that a decision to extend the programme for another 180 days was taken at a sitting of the UN Security Council on December 4. The Belarussian delegation will be in Iraq until December 24.