Today is May 12, International Nurses Day.
The Cyprus Turkish Nurses and Midwives Association and the Cyprus Turkish Nurses and Midwives Union paid a series of visits to state and government officials on Thursday as part of events marking the day.
Representatives of the association were received by President Ersin Tatar, the Speaker of Parliament Zorlu Töre, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, the Minister of Health İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra and the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu respectively.
Receiving the representatives, President Ersin Tatar said that health care workers will always be remembered for their devoted and self-sacrificing efforts during the pandemic.
He said that a few arrangements were needed to manage the country’s health system more effectively.
Thanking the health care workers for their hard work during the devastating February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye, Tatar said that there was much we could learn from Türkiye’s experience in the field of health.
He also underlined the need to further develop the country’s health services as a result of the growing population.
Also receiving the delegation, the Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Zorlu Töre said that efforts were underway in parliament to pass legislation for the protection of health care workers against violence.
Töre said that nurses and midwives were carrying out a sacred duty, something which had been understood very well during the pandemic.
For his part, the head of the Nurses and Midwives Association Ali Özgöçmen said it was pleasing to see state and government officials show sensitivity towards violence towards health workers.
Receiving the group next, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said that health centres, nurses and midwives were an indispensible part of the health system.
Thanking the health care workers and nurses for their dedication and devotion, the prime minister said that it was the government’s priority to improve services at health centres and public clinics.
“The government will make it its priority to pass the Inpatient Treatment Institutions Law as soon as possible,” he added.
Also receiving representatives of the nurses and midwives association and unions, the Minister of Health İzlem Gürçağ Altuğra said that health care workers were undeniably a crucial part of the health care system.
She said that nurses and midwives worked seven days a week, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.
“They do not only work at health centres but they touch people’s lives with the work they do,” she said, adding that they will never accept or allow health care workers to be subjected to violence.
The head of the Nurses and Midwives Association Ali Özgöçmen for his part thanked the health minister for the sensitivity shown towards incidents of violence against heath care workers.
Also receiving the representatives, the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu promised to help solve the problems experienced by health care workers.