World Bank says to keep supporting health sector development in Turkey

WASHINGTON

The World Bank has said its board of directors approved a financing of 120 million euros to the health system strengthening and support project of Turkey in a written statement on Sept. 21. 

“The World Bank has supported the government’s health sector reforms and implementation strategy for the past decade through a series of adaptable program loans and contributed to the health transformation program that is being implemented since 2003,” said the statement. 

The objective of the health system strengthening and support project for Turkey is to improve primary and secondary prevention of selected non-communicable diseases, increase the efficiency of public hospital management, and enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Health for evidence-based policy making.

On the occasion of the loan approval, Illangovan Patchamuthu, Acting Country Director for Turkey, stated that the World Bank is pleased to continue its support to the overnment of Turkey in health sector with a new strategic focus relating to curbing diseases and promoting institutional efficiency and quality improvements. 

According to Illangovan, “Despite achieving “best practice” Universal Health Care reform, the rise of non-communicable diseases in the burden of overall disease remains a key health challenge in Turkey. 

Addressing it requires a multi-pronged approach that starts with promoting healthy living and changing behaviors to address the major risk factors. This project aims to achieve this as well as strengthen the capacity of the related institutions.”

The lending instrument for the health system strengthening and support project is a variable spread loan, which has a final maturity of 10.5 years including a grace period of 5 years, said the statement.