Iran's Health Minister Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi[/caption]TEHRAN (Tasnim) Iranian Health Minister Seyed Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi announced that Tehran plans to spend about a billion dollars on the equipment of 570 hospitals across the country, saying that the needed tools will be supplied from outside the country.
Speaking in a gathering of representatives from Japanese companies in the headquarters of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Iranian health minister emphasized that the issue of health care is one of the priorities of the President Hassan Rouhanis administration.
The administration has an 800-million dollar plan to import medical equipment for 570 of its hospitals, Qazizadeh Hashemi said.
He further offered to the Japanese companies to play a role in the plan and cooperate with the Iranian health ministry.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the minister commented on the low share of Japan in the Iranian markets over the past years, saying that exercising excessive caution is the reason behind the low share.
However, he added, Western companies have replaced the Japanese firms in the Iranian markets.
Qazizadeh Hashemi also emphasized that there are many capacities which Japan can utilize to boost trade ties with the Islamic Republic.
By Tasnim News Agency
