Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Türkiye’s competence in health tourism is quite high and said, “However, there are serious smear campaigns abroad against our country’s international health tourism, and we need our Ministry of Health to take the lead in eliminating these campaigns.”

Speaking at the Health Sector Consultation Meeting, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that representatives of the pharmaceutical, medical, cosmetics, health services and international health tourism sectors participated in the meeting.

Pointing out that the health sector is a very wide area from medical devices to pharmaceuticals and health service providers, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “At the same time, these sectors contribute greatly to the trade of our country with the high-tech and value-added products they produce. Most importantly, it is a sector that focuses on people and directly affects all of us with its social, economic and political consequences. We all saw how important the sector is during the pandemic.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that it is of utmost importance to ensure the sustainability of the sector and not to break the supply chain, and went on: “On the other hand, international health tourism is very valuable in terms of our country’s promotion as well as its contribution to the foreign trade balance. Our competence in this field is quite high. However, there are serious smear campaigns against our country’s international health tourism abroad, and we need our Ministry of Health to take the lead in eliminating these campaigns. We wish our Ministry to take the necessary steps urgently on all these issues.”

Stating that the cooperation between the Ministry and the private sector is of great importance in carrying Türkiye and the sector to a stronger future, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:

“The team here consists of representatives of our valuable companies specialized in their fields. We are always on your side. We know that you are also with us and we see this as a start. We hope to continue these meetings and collaborations.”

- Minister of Health Memişoğlu

In his speech, Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu said, “We now have to be the main player in the health sector in the world. If we are to be the main player, we have to produce the knowledge of health, produce the technology of health, offer and say something new about health.”

Memişoğlu participated in the Health Sector Consultation Meeting organized by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).

Minister Memişoğlu pointed out that many important steps have been taken in the last 22 years and said, “It is no longer enough to provide Türkiye with good health services. With such good healthcare professionals, such a good infrastructure, such a devoted workforce, it is no longer enough for us to provide the best and most accessible healthcare services in the world. We now have to become the main player in the health sector in the world. If we are to be the main player, we have to produce the knowledge of health, produce the technology of health, offer and say something new about health.”

Stating that they continue to work with the belief that the health sector can be Türkiye’s locomotive sector, Memişoğlu said that this issue is the biggest target for them.

Memişoğlu pointed out that there has been a huge development process in health in Türkiye and stated that they aim to carry this process to a world-class level.

- “It is not enough to produce only materials”

Minister Memişoğlu pointed out that the trust in the health sector in Türkiye is quite high and said the following:

“Health tourism worth 2 billion dollars or a little more is not enough for us. It is not enough for us to produce only ventilators or a few materials. We don’t just need to produce a ventilator or a few materials. It is enough for us to say something new. If we are to work together as a Turkish nation, we have to create an ecosystem where scientists, public and business people can work together.”