LAHORE: Turkish Health Minister Dr Ahmet Dermican has accepted an invitation from Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit the province in March.

The invitation on behalf of the chief minister was extended to the Turkish health minister by Punjab Minister for Primary Healthcare Kh Imran Nazir during a meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday. Pakistan's Ambassador in Turkey Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Special Secretary Health Punjab Faisal Zahoor, Additional Secretary Drug Wing Muhammad Sohail, Dr. Yadullah and other members of the minister's delegation were present in the meeting.

Accepting the chief minister's invitation, Dr Ahmet Dermican expressed his gratitude towards Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

The two sides agreed to further extend bilateral cooperation in health sector. Turkey would provide technical assistance and expertise to control hepatitis, regulate cosmetics medicines field and provide training to the human resource of Punjab Health Department.

Turkey would extend technical cooperation for the training, capacity building of health experts of Punjab. Turkish experts would also provide technical training to the human resource along with technology for operating the drug wing in a befitting manner.

Minister Kh Imran Nazir said that Turkey and Pakistan were brotherly countries and had long history of close relationship. Turkey always helped Pakistan in every sector and the Punjab government appreciated the cooperation extended by the Turkish experts for the development and boosting up of health sector in the province, he added.

The two ministers also exchanged gifts.