HEALTH POLICIES SYMPOSIUM IN THE SCOPE OF EXPO 2015 IZMIR IS SUCCESSFULLY HELD
Izmir University of Economics Rector Prof. Dr. Attila Sezgin made an opening speech in the health symposium that took place with the coordination of Izmir University of Economics Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Department of Business Administration and said “Today while determining the development level of the nations, the international establishments do not satisfy with the incomes they have and they also consider the level they produce education and health services. For that reason, “Health” is maybe the most important issue that we should underscore and discuss in order to receive more qualified and frequent service.” Izmir Board of Trustees President Ekrem Demirtaş stated that EXPO 2015 was a magic wand and said, “Up until now we did had administrators who misused our city, who did not have a vision and aim. EXPO 2015 is our common aim that is admitted by all sections of the society. If EXPO’s magic wand touches Izmir, Izmir will become a city that hosts EXPO with the theme of health.”
Ministry of Health Advisor Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur made a speech about health policies and gave some information about transformation in health. He said that with the project there is rise in examination per doctor and the salaries of the health sector workers. Sur stated that last year 31 Billion YTL was spent for health and 12 Billion of this was for medicine. Sur said “This has to be analyzed carefully, taken under control and the ones that do not serve for national interests should be blocked.”
In the first session Prof. Dr. Şadan Gökovalı gave information about “Health in Izmir in Antiquity”, he said that there are more than one thousand thermal springs, 9 thousand plant kinds 3 thousand of which are endemic, and the first treatment of the world based on diagnosis were made on this land.
In the second and last day of the health symposium that took place with the coordination of Izmir University of Economics Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Department of Business Administration, how should be a healthy city, organ donation and vulnerable groups are discussed by academicians, politicians and the representatives of nongovernmental organizations.
Fours sessions were held in the second day of the health symposium that took place in Izmir University of Economics Conference Hall. In the first session, the perspective of Izmir in being a healthy city is discussed with the attendance of Aegean Health Hospital Administrative Board Member Dr. Şevki Kılıçarslan, Municipality of Health Liver Transplantation Scientific Advirosy Board president and Memorial Hospital General Surgeon Prof. Dr. Münci Kalayoğlu, Health Municipality Organ Transplantation Coordinators Board President Doctor of Medicine Ata Bozoklar and Izmir University of Economics Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Tunçdan Baltacıoğlu. Prof. Dr. Münci Kalayoğlu stated that Turkish people are more successful and creative than the ones abroad and said, “We cannot go on sending patients abroad for treatment by paying one million dollars. The important thing is to send people abroad for education and benefit from them here. Whatever that can be done abroad by education can be done in Turkey too.” Doctor of Medicine Ata Bozoklar from Aegean University underlined that there can be no organ transplantation without an organ and said “There is an increase in the number of donors in last years however, since brain death cannot be detected on time, transplantation cannot be done. The responsible are the government and the doctors. The organs can be used in deaths connected to machine. That is why we need good intensive care units.”
In the second session that AKP Assistant General Manager Prof. Dr. Nükhet Hotar Göksel, AKP Handicapped Coordination Center President Orhan Erdem, Turkish Disabled Association President Şükrü Boyraz and Prof. Dr. Şeyda Aksel from Aegean University attended, “City and Vulnerable Groups” are discussed. Prof. Dr. Nükhet Hotar Göksel gave some information about Transformation in Health Program. Göksel stated that next year they will educate 500 personnel for improving health services offered to violence victim women that are under risk, and they will start in-service trainings in 81 cities. Göksel, stated that they also work for young and old people and said “Until 2015, there will be units that will give sexual health and reproduction health services to 150 young people in Turkey. Moreover, there some works done in Old Coordination Centers to make the old people productive, make their rehabilitation and prevent their social exclusion.” Prof. Dr. Şeyda Aksel from Aegean University mentioned about the works done for the children and said “We cannot have healthy children and cities unless we eliminate the reasons that push children to the streets. The projects are insufficient. They do not ask what makes children happy and how we can make their lives easier.”
EXPO 2015 Izmir Health Symposium continued with the session entitled “Healthy City and the Role of the Municipalities” that Bursa Metropolitan Mayor and Turkish Healthy Cities Association President Hikmet Şahin and Aydın Mayor İlkami Ortekin also attended. The symposium concluded with the presentation of Turkish Union of Physicians Central Council Member Prof. Dr. Mustafa Vatansever entitled “Healthy City and Health Services”.
