Minister Memişoğlu: Health is a Universal Value Beyond Borders and We Will Put Forward a Historic Will

Minister of Health Memişoğlu, addressing innovations in disaster management and health, detailed Türkiye's capacity in the health sector. The Minister emphasized the historical nature of operations conducted under the Health Disaster Coordination Center (SAKOM), drawing attention to efforts in the earthquake zone. Since the first moments of the earthquake, 113 thousand 759 personnel served in 11 provinces, while 35 thousand 470 additional personnel were dispatched from other provinces, totaling over 138 thousand personnel in the field. Additionally, 1810 ambulances, 245 UMKE vehicles, and 16 air ambulances provided uninterrupted service, and 51 thousand 665 patients and injured were transported via land, air, and sea routes.

Touching upon the health infrastructure established in the region, Memişoğlu announced that healthcare services were provided to approximately 600 thousand citizens with 34 field hospitals, 176 Emergency Response Units, and 130 personnel accommodation units. Furthermore, he stated that over 3 million citizens had their chronic diseases monitored and access to medication ensured, adding that within the first three months, mental health services were provided to approximately 45 thousand people as part of psychosocial support services. The Minister also highlighted the importance given to domestic and national technologies to increase Türkiye's disaster response capacity, explaining how new technologies developed in this context are utilized in the field.

Introducing the GÖKBEY Ambulance Helicopter, a product of the Türkiye Century vision, as the most concrete example of technological developments, Memişoğlu stated that this vehicle was developed entirely with domestic resources. He noted that the helicopter is capable of operating even in the harshest geographical and climatic conditions and functions as a "flying emergency service" capable of intervening with two patients simultaneously under intensive care conditions. He expressed that this would contribute to the uninterrupted provision of health services even in regions where transportation is difficult during disasters, demonstrating Türkiye's technological superiority in the health field.

Minister Memişoğlu, stating that they play an active role in the international arena as well, said that Türkiye sees sharing its disaster management experiences with countries in need as a humanitarian responsibility. Saying "Health is a universal value beyond borders," he emphasized that they will continue to support countries struggling with disasters and share their qualified human resources and institutional capacities. In this context, highlighting the importance of global cooperation, he underlined the necessity of using the obtained data and experience for humanity.

In his closing remarks, addressing the importance of the "İstanbul Declaration" prepared in İstanbul, Memişoğlu stated that this text is one of the most comprehensive consensus texts created in the field of global disaster health. He expressed that the Declaration puts forward a historic will that will guide international cooperation on reducing disaster risks, strengthening the resilience of health systems, and supporting global health security. Memişoğlu added that with this declaration, Türkiye has risen to a leading position contributing to health security not only within its own borders but on a global scale.