Erdoğan visits Gazan patients in Ankara

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a visit to cancer patients transferred to Türkiye from Gaza and receiving treatment in Ankara.

Erdoğan arrived at the Oncology Hospital, where patients are being treated, joined by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, the hospital's Chief Physician, and doctors.

Erdoğan then went around to each patient, wishing them a speedy recovery while learning about their medical situations.

More than dozens of Gazan cancer patients, along with their companions, have transferred to Türkiye for their treatments after they crossed from the besieged strip into Egypt amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Two military planes carrying 27 patients and 13 companions, departing from El-Arish Airport in Egypt, landed at Esenboğa Airport in the Turkish capital Ankara early on Nov. 16.

Authorities noted that the health condition of the patients was followed by a team of nine expert healthcare professionals from Türkiye throughout the journey, as the patients were then moved to Bilkent City Hospital.

Following the intense efforts in Egypt on Nov. 15 regarding health aid to Gaza and the transfer of patients and the injured to Türkiye, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca returned to Ankara with the patients.

Speaking to journalists at the Esenboğa Airport, Koca emphasized the government's coordinated efforts to stand by the people of Gaza and alleviate their suffering since the humanitarian crisis began on Oct. 7 in Gaza.

He stated that Türkiye was the first country to which Gazan patients were transferred for treatment outside Egypt.

"Until today, no patient has been sent to another country for treatment through Egypt. For the first time today, these patients were brought directly to Türkiye through the Rafah border crossing," Koca said.

He mentioned ongoing efforts for the transfer of more patients and relayed the request to bring premature babies with respiratory distress to Türkiye for treatment at the relevant institutions.

"We are determined to bring patients, especially those with cancer and children, to Türkiye. We hope for more arrivals in the coming days. Our efforts in this regard continue. We have also conveyed our request, expressing our readiness to meet any demand, especially regarding the transportation of premature babies in incubators, early-born babies with respiratory distress, and, technically, the ability to bring these babies comfortably under intensive care conditions. Discussions on this matter are ongoing."

Pointing out that they held several meetings with high-level officials from the World Health Organization, as well as health ministers from Egypt, Israel and Jordan, since the first day of the crisis, he stated that a team of 20 from the Turkish Ministry has been in the region since Oct. 22 to conduct feasibility studies in Egypt and Gaza for the establishment field hospitals.

Koca also noted that Türkiye sent 10 cargo planes and a ship carrying 666 tons of aid to Egypt, including fully equipped field hospitals, 20 ambulances, vital ventilators, incubators, generators and medical supplies, to meet the needs of the people in Gaza.