International community showing Turkey’s healthcare system as model: FM

ANKARA

The international community, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States, is showing Turkey as a model as its health care system is strong enough to meet the treatment requirements of its citizens, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on May 6.

“In this respect, the WHO, the international community and other countries, including the U.S., are pointing to Turkey as a model country,” the minister told TV 100 broadcaster.

Turkey shares its experience with other nations and the medical aid it delivers will brand Turkey as a reliable source, the minister stated.

“Two-thirds of the world countries had requested medical supplies from Turkey. The huge number of medical supply requests from around the world “shows that Turkey is a reliable source and a true friend,” he said.

A total of 128 countries have requested medical supplies from Turkey to fight coronavirus, and nearly half of these requests were met, said the foreign minister.

These countries have requested medical supplies from Turkey in the form of grants, export permits, or purchases, he noted. Çavuşoğlu noted that he recently spoke to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on how to meet Paraguay’s request for medical supplies.

Çavuşoğlu said he found some debates in the country pointless regarding Turkey’s help to other countries.

“They interpret that Turkey does not meet its nation’s needs, but as if we take it and give it to another country. This is not true. Has anything happened so far in terms of health services? It never happened. We have just started to produce, especially ventilators. Have there been any insufficiency in the hospitals? No,” he stated.

The minister emphasized that now is not the time to criticize the WHO or similar organizations as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact thousands of people across the world every day.

“This isn’t the time to criticize international organizations, especially the WHO. We should make maximum use of these institutions and support them,” he said.