The Ministers of Health of the SCO member states discussed joint efforts to combat COVID-19

Acting Minister of Health Zharkynbek Kasymbekov took part in the meeting of Ministers of Health of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states on June 8.

According to the Ministry of Health, the participants discussed issues on the topic "Consolidation of joint efforts to expand access to quality medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic."

On the agenda were issues related to the integration of traditional (folk) medicine into modern healthcare systems; reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases: the possibilities of primary health care; on the draft Concept of Cooperation of the SCO member states in the field of telemedicine; on the Roadmap for Cooperation between medical organizations of the SCO member states in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Following the discussion, the parties recognized the expediency of continuing cooperation in the following areas:

- joining joint efforts to expand access to high-quality medical care for the population of the SCO member states;

- giving impetus to cooperation in the development of primary health care as the basis of sustainable health systems

and the fight against the spread of infectious and non-communicable diseases in the SCO member states;

- exchange of experience in the field of early detection and prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of non-communicable diseases;

- strengthening the capacity of health systems in the field of reproductive health by ensuring modern access of women and children to comprehensive medical services;

- strengthening cooperation between the leading medical centers of the SCO member states in the field of prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, postcovid rehabilitation,

- promotion of cooperation in the field of mutual recognition of vaccination certificates;

- exchange of best practices in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and joining efforts to prevent its spread;

- joining efforts in strengthening the public health system, as well as in the application of telemedicine technologies, taking into account the strategies, priorities and capabilities of the SCO member states;

- promotion of cooperation and harmonization of relations between the SCO member states in the field of folk (traditional) medicine;

- expansion of cooperation between the SCO member states in the field of healthcare, as well as professional development of specialists in medical, pharmaceutical and sanitary-epidemiological services.

The parties also reviewed and approved the draft Concepts of Cooperation of the SCO member states in the field of Telemedicine prepared at the expert level and the Roadmap for Cooperation between medical organizations of the SCO member states in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.