BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 24. The VIII meeting of health ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is taking place in the Chinese city of Xi'an, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Health Ministry.
“Azerbaijan, which has the status of SCO dialog partner, is represented at the international event by a delegation headed by Health Minister Teymur Musayev.
Minister of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China Lei Haichao made an opening speech. Welcoming the participants of the meeting, he noted that the most important topic on the agenda of the current meeting is to discuss issues of effective coordination of activities in such key areas of health care as emergency medical care, primary health care, digital health and traditional medicine.
In his speech, Azerbaijani Health Minister Teymur Musayev stressed the high level of organization of the meeting of the SCO Health Ministers. The Minister recalled that on July 3, 2024, within the framework of the SCO summit held in Astana, the Joint Declaration on Establishing Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China was adopted: “ President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in an interview with Chinese agency Xinhua called the adoption of the Joint Declaration a historic event opening a new page in Azerbaijan-China relations”.
Moreover, it was noted that a Joint Statement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China on the establishment of relations of comprehensive strategic partnership was signed in Beijing on April 23, 2025 within the state visit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the People's Republic of China: "The state visit of President Ilham Aliyev to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping will further strengthen and accelerate the development of our bilateral relations."
“Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, implementation of socially oriented policy, transition to digital state governance, and economic diversification have contributed to strengthening Azerbaijan's sovereignty and its role as a leading country in the region. As the head of state noted, the unanimous decision to hold COP29 in Baku last November is an indicator of great respect and trust of the international community in our country. Reducing the negative impact of environmental pollution on the health of the population and promoting a healthy lifestyle are key priorities of the Azerbaijani government,” Teymur Musayev noted.
According to the Minister, in recent years, global health has faced both achievements and significant challenges due to factors such as pandemics and environmental changes. However, global crises offer opportunities for positive transformation and should be seen as milestones on the road to progress: “The future development of health systems is likely to be driven by technological advances, the widespread use of data analytics, and the move towards personalized medicine. In the face of a global shortage of medical personnel, a new helper - artificial intelligence (AI) - is coming to our aid. One of its key contributions is to increase access to healthcare, particularly by strengthening primary care systems. However, to fully integrate AI, it is necessary to create an appropriate legislative framework to ensure effective utilization of the practical capabilities of artificial intelligence,” the Minister added.
He emphasized that despite the obvious advantages of digital solutions, they should not replace the human factor, but only complement it: “Digital technologies should act as auxiliary tools, allowing medical professionals to pay more attention to patient care.”
The Minister paid special attention to the sustainability of health care systems. He emphasized the importance of reducing the negative impact on the environment, reducing energy consumption, and improving the sustainability of healthcare facilities. “For this purpose, it is necessary to more actively implement the concept of “green hospitals” and invest in improving the energy efficiency of healthcare facilities. Investments in the healthcare sector are investments in our common future,” Teymur Musayev concluded.
Heads of government agencies involved in healthcare activities of the SCO member states spoke about the main areas of cooperation of the SCO member states in the field of healthcare. They noted that all the countries of the region support the active expansion of cooperation in this area.
In conclusion, the participants of the meeting exchanged views on the development of national health care systems, the role of international organizations, increasing the capacity of medical and pharmaceutical personnel, as well as on the prospects for cooperation in the areas of primary health care, digital health and traditional medicine,” the information notes.
