Health minister Manto Tshabala-Msimang expressed South Africa’s commitment to strengthen relations with Iraq during a visit to the Arab country, her department said in a statement on Friday.
Tshabala-Msimang returns home on Saturday following a two-day visit to Iraq at the invitation of her counterpart Dr Umaid Mubarak. Tshabala-Msimang also paid a courtesy call to Iraqi Vice President Taha Yaseen Ramadaan as well as the Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Azaz.
Health ministry representative Sibani Mngadi said in the statement that Tshabala-Msimang and her delegation visited several health care facilities around Baghdad and were impressed by the specialised and advanced tertiary services available at some of the health institutions.
The two health ministers agreed to strengthen the relationship in the three areas of therapeutic health services, the pharmaceutical field and preventative medicine.
They also agreed that there should be an exchange of medical experts between the two countries to identify more areas of co-operation and collaboration, with a further possibility of setting up an exhibition of pharmaceutical products, medical equipment and consumables in Iraq.
Tshabala-Msimang said ”the South African government was committed to work with the people of the Republic of Iraq, especially during this challenging period when a dark cloud is hovering above your (Iraq’s) skies. I (Tshabala-Msimang) pray that this political impasse will be resolved through diplomatic means rather than armed conflict”.
The minister also expressed the need to pay special attention to women and children, saying that ”women were the backbone of society and children the future”, and that they were the most affected during times of instability.
Iraq has been accused by the United States of developing weapons of mass destruction — a charge denied by the Arab country. A United Nations weapons inspection team, which has been in Iraq since late last year, is searching for any evidence that will corroborate the US claim. – Sapa