TASHKENT, 8 February (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested setting up joint pharmaceutical companies during the expanded-format talks with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 8 February, BelTA has learned.
“You know how to do so many things, so we need to learn from you. We are ready to share with Uzbekistan the technologies that we inherited from the Soviet Union (we added something, you know this),” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. The head of state cited the pharmaceutical industry as an example. Uzbekistan is interested in Belarusian medicines, so the president suggested considering joint production. “We can create joint ventures here, and he [the president of Uzbekistan] can get any pharmaceutical substances as he has enormous connections in the world. And we can produce medicines here,” the Belarusian head of state suggested.
According to Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Karanik, the parties are discussing this issue in detail. Belarus and Uzbekistan want to take stock of the legal framework and simplify the registration of medicines and to compile a list of the most common medications. “With a view to selling them to the neighboring countries,” the governor said. “As far as technical registration is concerned. Listen, we have a ‘dictatorship’, which means that we can deal with the issue really fast. The main thing is to reach an agreement. Let’s do it together,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko assured that Belarus is ready to lend a helping hand to Uzbekistan in healthcare. “We are ready to assist you in every way we can, we can come, launch this clinic, help staff it, and teach your people obstetrics. We will be helping you until the personnel is trained. We are obliged to help women,” said the head of state. Giving a general assessment of bilateral cooperation, Aleksandr Lukashenko added that some areas are lagging behind. “This means that you, government members, ministers, are underperforming somewhere. Therefore, if we agree on something, we must do it,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.
Belarus’ Healthcare Minister Aleksandr Khodzhayev told reporters that the promotion of Belarusian pharmaceutical products is one of the most relevant issues in cooperation with Uzbekistan.
“Today, Belarus produces about 1,900 names of medicines. More than 130 names are registered in Uzbekistan. We would like to share our medicines, because they are in demand here today,” the minister noted.
There are other issues on the agenda. For example, Belarus has amassed the necessary competences and experience to perform transplant surgeries. “We have discussed the promotion of this kind of medical services in Uzbekistan. This requires close interaction between specialists. The initial stage of interaction provides for collaborations between professionals in order to train the necessary number of specialists for Uzbekistan. After that, we might consider creating a branch,” said Aleksandr Khodzhayev.
