The Minister of Health İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra attended the Economic Cooperation Organisation’s (ECO) 5th Ministerial Meeting on Health as an observer.
The meeting which took place in Geneva on Wednesday was hosted by member country Azerbaijan.
Delivering a speech at the meeting, the Minister of Health İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra said that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was proud of being able to take part in such an important organisation.
She said that ECO, which was dedicated to promoting joint culture, values and traditions of member states, had the opportunity to cooperate over a wide range of areas from commerce, transportation to industry.
Altuğra added that joining forces, sharing experiences and acting together was becoming increasingly important in an environment where conflicts were increasing and where competition for natural resources, investment and technology was growing.
Concerning the field of health, Minister Altuğra said that Türkiye was the only country extending medical help and assistance in times of crises such as the recent Covid-19 pandemic.
She pointed out that the TRNC had managed the pandemic well thanks to the help and support provided by Türkiye.
The TRNC Minister of Health called on member countries to cooperate more and to prioritize humanitarian assistance.
The Economic Cooperation Organisation’s 5th Ministerial Meeting on Health is being held in Geneva within the framework of the 76th World Health Assembly.
The event brought together representatives from the ECO Countries such as Azerbaijan, Iran, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as well as representatives from the World Health Organization.
The meeting deliberated on items included in the Plan of Action on Health Cooperation in the ECO Region, such as healthcare, natural disasters, and regional coordination and collaboration in response to possible future pandemics.