The Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Sharief Faez accepted the invitation of the Afghan Medical Association leadership and after the AMAA arranged the travel for the minister he traveled to Southern California and was welcomed by the president and treasurer of the AMAA at the airport on July 18, 2002. Mr. Faez and his wife visited Loma Linda University and met with the joint delegates of LLU and the AMMA. The problems of medical education, the availability of an educational environment, equipment and teaching staff were discussed in detail.
Mr. Faez acknowledged the past contributions of LLU and the AMAA and expressed a desire for continued support.
Mr. and Mrs. Faez toured the neonatal intensive care unit of Loma Linda Childrens Hospital and the Distant Learning Center. He was pleased to see the capability of the Distal Learning Center with the feasibility that the center could provide teaching inside Afghanistan via Satellite from LLU.
He was then welcomed by the Board of the Directors of the AMAA during a reception with guests from the LLU.
The Minister of Higher Education participated in a frank discussion with the directors of the AMAA and answered questions.
He asked the president of the AMAA to continue the ongoing effort and the AMAA to get more involved in medical education inside Afghanistan. The Ministry of Higher Education may provide facility for the AMAA center in Kabul, if the AMAA wishes.