U.S. secretary of health says visit to Iraq aims at training doctors

Iraq-Health BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael O. Leavitt said on Monday that his visit to Iraq is to agree on common programs to train Iraqi doctors in the U.S. to cope with the global development in medical field. Speaking at a pres conference in Baghdad, Michael O. Leavitt said “Iraqi Health Minister Saleh al-Hassanawi and Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S. Samier al-Samidei visited me in the U.S. four months ago and asked me to train Iraqi doctors to put them in line with the global development in the medical field.” He said that the reason to visit Iraq is to hold talks with the health minister on ways of developing the heath reality in Iraq and to exchange experiences. “A large number of Iraqi doctors were trained in the U.S. in the past months and next months a total of 31 Iraqi doctors will head for the U.S. to attend similar courses,” he said. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had said earlier that his government is keen to develop good relations with the United States in all fields, particularly in the health and education sectors. During his meeting with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael O. Leavitt, Maliki called to enhance cooperation between the ministries of health in both countries, according to a statement released by Maliki’s office and received by IraqiNews.com. “Scientific progress, particularly in the field of medicine, ceased during the era of the former Iraqi regime,” Maliki added. Earlier today, the U.S. embassy in Iraq said that Leavitt is currently paying an official visit to Iraq, during which he is expected to hold a joint press conference with Iraqi Health Minister Saleh al-Hassanawi at the joint information center in central Baghdad’s heavily-fortified green zone. SH (S)/SR 1