Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The fifth meeting of health ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states began this morning in Tashkent under the chairmanship of the Uzbek side in a hybrid format, Dunyo news agency reported.

The Minister of Health of Uzbekistan Bekhzod Musaev and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming addressed the participants with a welcoming speech.

The meeting is also attended by Deputy Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India Rajesh Bhushan, First Deputy Minister of Health of Kazakhstan Marat Shoranov, Chairman of the National Health Commission of China Ma Xiaowei, Acting Minister of Health of Kyrgyzstan Zharkynbek Kasymbekov, Special Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Regulation and Coordination of Pakistan Iftikhar Ali Shalvani, Minister of Health of Russia Mikhail Murashko and Minister of Health of Tajikistan Jamoliddin Abdullozoda.

The heads of healthcare departments discuss the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic in the SCO member states, as well as prospects for international cooperation in these areas, including expanding scientific and technical cooperation in the development of drugs, vaccines and test systems.

The previous meeting took place on 30 June 2021 in Dushanbe (Tajikistan).