The Minister of Health İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra came together with her counterpart Turkish Health Minister Dr. Fahrettin Koca as part of her contacts in Ankara.
During the meeting which the health system in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was discussed, the issues of the devices to be supplied to the Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital, new hospital buildings to be built in the capital Lefkoşa and Girne and the country’s pharmaceutical needs were also evaluated.
Speaking after the meeting, Turkish Health Minister Dr. Fahrettin Koca expressed his happiness over the visit of the TRNC Health Minister İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra and her team and wished Altuğra success in her new duty.
Expressing their readiness to cooperate in the field of health as before, Koca noted that the technical teams of both ministries were continuing to work in close cooperation.
Stressing that all kinds of efforts were being exerted for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the national cause, he commemorated the late Dr. Fazıl Küçük, Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş and the martyrs and expressed his well wishes for the war veterans.
Minister Koca also expressed his best wishes on the 20th of July Peace and Freedom Day.
Noting that Türkiye always stood by the TRNC, he reminded that 750 thousand doses of vaccines, including 50 thousand doses of the Turkovac vaccine were provided during the pandemic adding that they will continue to meet the TRNC’s annual pharmaceutical need.
Minister Koca added that the advanced technical devices needed at the Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital will be provided and that they aimed to start the construction of a 500-bed hospital to be built in Lefkoşa.
He also expressed satisfaction over the health service provided by the 100-bed capacity Emergency Hospital.
Health Minister İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra for her part expressed happiness to be visiting motherland Türkiye and started her speech by thanking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca and the Turkish nation.
Stressing that the support provided to the TRNC by motherland Türkiye was of great importance, she said this was a powerful force that allowed the TRNC and its people to stand on its own feet.
Altuğra added that as the health minister her mission was to provide fast, quality service that will protect, treat and rehabilitate the public.
She also thanked Türkiye for the support it provided during the pandemic and for the equipment to be provided for the Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital.
Minister Altuğra also conveyed her desire for a mobile health vehicle to be used in home care services to Turkish Minister Koca.
Explaining that all the necessary updates regarding the tender process for the new Girne Hospital, which is included in the financial protocol, were made, she thanked Minister Koca, who expressed his support for both the supply of medicine and the new 500-bed hospital to be built in Lefkoşa.