Tehran (IP)- Iranian Health Minister said while many were seeking to destroy Iran through sanctions amid Coronavirus outbreak, in less than two months the country's knowledge-based companies were turned to be producers rather than importers countering sanctions.

Iran Press/Iran news: Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said on Sunday that despite imposed sanctions and coronavirus pandemic, the Islamic Republic of Iran acted significantly in medicine production.

Namaki made the remarks on Sunday in the ceremony of launching the production line of Insulin Glargine pen by Pooyesh Drug Products Company with the presence of the Vice President for Science and Technology  Sorena Sattari.

Namaki stressed that to realize the slogan of 'Surge in Production', the health ministry has managed to reduce the medicine import by up to 25 percent, and increased national production up to 30 percent, to save $ 600 million.

"With the country's critical condition of the economy, and being under the heaviest sanctions, Iran is self- sufficient in coronavirus-combatting supplies," he noted.

With regard to coronavirus pandemic, the Iranian top health official stressed that the health ministry's s first strategy is to change the lifestyle, promote appropriate nutrition, and decrease diabetes.

He expressed hope the virus is contained by implementing all health protocols, keeping social distance, and added that the health ministry intends to decrease medicine consumption to meet the domestic medical needs along with lowering the death toll due to diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.

Accompanying the health minister, the Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari also underlined that the health ministry's support of the Insulin Glargine production line significantly helps the country's development, saving currency for the country.

Sattari noted that the production line is a first step that will pave the way to reach where the country must stand in the medical industry.

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