Cairo, 12 October 2022 (TDI): The Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination for Pakistan, Abdul Qadir Patel, called on Minister for Health for Saudi Arabia, Fahad Bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, in Cairo on Tuesday.

Abdul Qadir Patel is in Cairo to attend the 69th Regional Mediterranean Conference of the World Health Organization (WHO). Patel briefed the Saudi minister on the issues of recognition and degrees accreditation related to Pakistani medical universities.

Meeting Minutes

The Minister of Pakistan said that Pakistani medical universities were awarding degrees to post-graduate medical doctors on merit. He also said that the merit was in accordance with international standards.

The Saudi Health Minister assured Patel that matters relating to degrees would be taken up by the concerned authorities. He also said that he would ensure an early resolution of the issue.

Also Read: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia promote digital diplomacy

Fahad Bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel said, “Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share common religious family values, and looking after the elderly and patients by trained professional nurses will be great work.”

The Saudi Minister also appreciated Pakistan’s Border Health Services initiative. He said that it would also help other regions as well to meet global health security challenges. In response, Patel said that diseases don’t have borders.

Patel told Fahad that “we need new scientific interventions like border health security services with a digital data bank of travelers crossing into Pakistani borders or leaving the borders for the security of other regions as well.”

The Saudi Health Minister said that both countries were very close friends, and had strong brotherly and religious bonding. Patel also invited Fahad to visit Pakistan.

Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Relations

Both countries have enjoyed warm relations since Pakistan’s independence. A treaty of friendship was signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in 1951, laying the basis for cooperation.

The International Islamic University in Islamabad was established with a grant of $10 million from Saudi Arabia. The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is named after King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.