Afghanistan and Iran Sign Joint Health Regulation Implementation Plan

Mawlawi Hamdullah Zahed, Deputy Minister of Food and Medicine at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health under the Taliban administration, signed an operational harmonization plan aimed at improving the regulation of food, medicine, and health products during an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on a prior agreement between the two parties.

According to provided information, the plan focuses on accelerating and standardizing the process of registering and evaluating Iranian companies and products, enhancing the regulation of imports of foodstuffs, medicines, and health products, and strengthening quality control. Additionally, joint efforts to combat the smuggling of medicines and health products and expanding technical cooperation between the laboratories of both sides are important components of this program.

Within the framework of the plan, issues such as digitalizing regulatory affairs, upgrading the capacities of technical staff, and creating an enabling environment for investment by Iranian companies in Afghanistan’s health sector are also included; topics that could impact the production, importation, and monitoring of pharmaceutical products.

It is noteworthy that the main cooperation agreement in the health sector between Afghanistan and Iran was signed in the Solar Hijri year 1402 (2023-2024 Gregorian), and this new plan is introduced as a practical step toward implementing its provisions.