Italian companies specialising in the field of medicine are keen on investing in Qatar’s hospital sector and advanced health systems, according to Italian ambassador Pasquale Salzano.
The envoy said Italian companies are playing a “significant role” in realising the Human Development Pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030, which includes the growth and development of a world-class healthcare system, among others.
“Due to Qatar and Italy’s close relations, we are establishing tighter links with the country, particularly with HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, for interaction between both countries, specifically with the Regione Lombardia where Milano is located (Milan, Lombardy Region), which is at the forefront of high technology in health.
“In the coming months, we are expecting a visit from the president of Regione Lombardia, which is the most advanced region in all of Europe, and we are going to sign an agreement in order to co-operate in all sectors of health with the excellencies that we have there in this field in Milano,” Salzano told Gulf Times.
According to Salzano, Italian firm GPI Group recently signed an agreement with Ebn Sina Medical, a subsidiary of Aamal Company, for the automation of Ebn Sina Medical’s warehouse. In a statement, Aamal said medications at the warehouse will be “properly stored, priced and dispensed automatically with very high speed and accuracy”. 
“This is a very interesting a new technology that would speed up the distribution of medicines accurately, and to shorten turnover time from the producer to the consumer. This technology was first applied in a pharmacy at City Center. We expect this type of automated pharmacy to be widespread across Qatar in the coming months,” Salzano said.
The ambassador said Aamal Company chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani and GPI international sales director Fabio Rossi signed the agreement for the warehouse automation in a ceremony held at Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel recently.
This is the second pilot project that Ebn Sina Medical collaborated with its principal supplier, GPI Group, after the successful automation of Ebn Sina Pharmacy in City Center Doha, with the implementation of GPI pioneering robotic technology for the first time in a private pharmacy in Qatar, Aamal’s statement further said.
“The technology being used in this automated pharmacy can also be used in government hospitals and health centres across the country because the Italian company involved in the project is not only producing this kind of technology but also software for e-Health and e-Welfare, so every solution for hospitals, clinics and doctors are provided by this company, which is a big firm that has almost €200bn in revenues. It is a company that is very innovative in this sector of health and welfare,” Salzano added.
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