10.02.2025 12:05
The Ministry of Health will establish "Public Health Emergency Response" teams to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of healthcare services in response to situations such as disasters, fires, floods, earthquakes, and epidemics across all 81 provinces.
The Ministry of Health's General Directorate of Public Health has sent a letter to the governors of 81 provinces and provincial health directorates regarding the establishment of "Public Health Emergency Response Teams."
The letter states that Turkey is located in a geography at risk for natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, rockfalls, and avalanches, as well as infectious diseases and epidemics. It was noted that comprehensive studies are being conducted to identify the lessons learned in the health sector after disasters and to enhance the Ministry's preparedness and response capacity for potential future disasters and emergencies based on these lessons.
"PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS" WILL BE ESTABLISHED
Within the framework of the Ministry of Health's Strategic Plan (2024-2028), "Public Health Emergency Response Teams" will be established under the organization and coordination of the General Directorate of Public Health within provincial health directorates, aiming to increase the capacity, accessibility, effectiveness, and quality of primary public health service delivery during earthquakes, global pandemics, and disaster situations.
UMKE TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED
The newly established Public Health Emergency Response Teams are planned to operate in their own province or, if necessary, in other provinces and outside Turkey during public health emergencies, ensuring the uninterrupted sustainability of public health services provided by the Ministry and taking measures against potential public health threats. It is also planned for personnel in these teams to continue their existing duties in situations that do not require public health urgency.
EXPERT PHYSICIANS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS WILL BE INCLUDED
The Public Health Emergency Response Teams will include public health specialists, epidemiologists, field epidemiologists, specialist physicians, doctors, midwives, nurses, health officers, environmental health technicians, psychologists, social workers, information technology personnel, and drivers. It is also planned for those who have not received training from the National Medical Rescue Team Unit (UMKE) to receive UMKE training in coordination with the General Directorate of Emergency Health Services. Thus, taking into account the structure of the provinces and the risk of encountering disasters, Public Health Emergency Response Teams will be formed within provincial health directorates, ensuring that there is at least one team in each province.