Cooperation between Russia and Chad in the field of healthcare can be expanded, including in the areas of medical education, supply of medicines, and medical products, said Russia's State Secretary-Deputy Minister of Health, Oleg Salagay.
It was discussed during a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Chad, Mahamoud Adam Bechir.
“We are glad that cooperation between our states in the field of healthcare is consistently developing. Last year, during the Russia-Africa Forum, Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Health of Russia and the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention of the Republic of Chad. The parties agreed on the development of cooperation in the field of healthcare, including the training of medical personnel, [provision] of necessary medical products, and so on. We are ready to further and progressively strengthen our interaction,” Salagay said, as quoted by the Russian Ministry of Health's press service.
He noted that during the period from 2020 to 2023, 1,290 Chadians received medical care in Russia. The main treatment profiles were cardiology, traumatology and orthopedics, neurology, surgery and urology.
According to Salagay, one of the promising areas of bilateral cooperation is the training of Chadian medical specialists in institutions subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Health. The ministry is ready to consider the possibility of increasing the number of Chadian citizens studying in Russian medical educational organizations, the official emphasized.
The parties also discussed the issue of supplying medicines and medical devices in case their Chadian colleagues are interested in cooperation with Russia.
Russia is trying to develop cooperation in the field of healthcare with many African countries. For example, this week, a memorandum of understanding on the supply of Russian medical equipment to Kenya was signed by the Kenyan JM-Qafri Methuselah company and Russia's Prof Polymed enterprise.
Furthermore, earlier, several African countries, including Burundi, Uganda, and the Republic of Congo, received seven Russian mobile laboratories, which are designed to aid in the detection of infectious diseases, according to Russian consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor.
Moreover, in March, Niger's Minister of Higher Education and Science, Saidou Mamadou, said that his country needs medical equipment produced in Russia, while a partnership with Moscow will allow the country to develop as a whole.