THE PRESIDENT OF TURKMENISTAN RECEIVED THE DIRECTOR OF THE WHO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE

Today, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Dr. Hans Kluge, Director of the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO), who arrived in Ashgabat to participate in the International Conference of Medical Scientists “Medical Diplomacy is the Foundation of a Healthy World”, dedicated to the celebration of the Day of Health Workers and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.

Warmly welcoming the guest, the head of state expressed his confidence that this visit will be an important stage in strengthening the long-term successful cooperation with WHO, the largest international organization that has made an invaluable contribution to the consistent implementation of large-scale transformative programs for the integrated development and improvement of the national health system.

Turkmenistan constantly exchanges its accumulated experience with other countries, conducts close cooperation with the UN and its specialized agencies, in particular WHO, participates in all international events related to healthcare.

In all corners of the country, equipped with innovative technologies new modern international-level health homes, specialized clinics, and enterprises for the production of medicines are being built.

“At present, in the period of the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever for all states to coordinate their actions within the WHO,” highlighted the Turkmen leader.

In this regard, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that from the first days of spreading information about the appearance of a new infectious disease, the Government of Turkmenistan immediately reacted to the impending danger and began to take effective preventive measures.

Two-stage medical control for citizens was also established. This work continues at the present time.

At the second stage, citizens who have been discharged from hospitals stay at their homes for 14 days under the supervision of a family doctor.

As part of the strengthening measures to combat a particularly dangerous disease, all healthcare institutions are fully provided with the necessary medical equipment, protection facilities, test systems and disinfectants.

The head of state recalled that the Turkmen side had made a number of constructive proposals. These include cooperation in the field of genomic medicine to study the nature and nature of infections; development of medical diplomacy; creation of the Central Asian Regional Center for Epidemiology, Virology and Bacteriology; introduction of positive experience of Turkmenistan in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases into world medical practice; improvement of primary healthcare; development of the WHO procedure for assigning Turkmenistan the status of a tobacco-free country.

All this, coupled with the day-to-day promotion of a healthy lifestyle, the development of a mass sports and wellness movement and sports of the highest achievements, the active fight against harmful health habits, in particular tobacco smoking, directly promotes the upbringing of a physically and spiritually healthy nation.

The experience of Turkmenistan, which was also awarded a WHO Certificate for its outstanding contribution to the prevention of non-communicable diseases, is recommended for wide study by all countries of the region.

Other important initiatives of the Turkmen leader, in particular the annual celebration on June 3 the World Bicycle Day, enshrined in a special Resolution of the UN General Assembly, directly serve to promote the health of the population.

The head of Euro WHO also expressed gratitude to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his proactive approach to building a multilateral partnership and a great contribution to the common efforts to combat the spread of a new type of coronavirus infection.

So, to date, more than 70 percent of the population has already been vaccinated. Congratulating on these high indicators, the high-ranking guest underlined that Turkmenistan is far ahead in comparison with other countries, and its comprehensive activities are highly appreciated all over the world.

Turkmenistan’s significant efforts to prevent the import of COVID-19 into the country were particularly noted. As the guest, who came from neighboring Iran, noted, he personally saw the high organization of work at the checkpoint on the border of the country, which shows the effectiveness of the preventive measures taken.

As stated, the World Health Organization fully supports Turkmenistan’s initiatives to promote scientific diplomacy tools, in particular, the proposals voiced by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly on the development of a Special WHO program to study the coronavirus genome; a multilateral mechanism of the World Health Organization to combat pneumonia; Establishment of the WHO Methodological Center for the Treatment and Prevention of Acute Infections and the Central Asian Regional Center for Epidemiology, Virology and Bacteriology.

As you know, the idea of preparing a special program of the World Health Organization to study the coronavirus genome, designed to shed light on the causes of its new species, was also voiced during a trilateral video meeting held on August 7 last year by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus and Euro WHO Director Hans Kluge.

Expressing readiness to provide further assistance to the Turkmen side in improving the national health system, the high-ranking guest suggested resuming the practice of holding training seminars, sending specialists of various profiles to Turkmenistan, building up mutually beneficial partnership within the framework of the roadmap of cooperation in new promising areas, in particular, in the field of girls’ and women’s health, the development of digital medicine, etc.

Noting the active position of our country in building up global and regional cooperation, Dr. Hans Kluge underlined WHO’s deep interest in intensifying the established constructive interaction, new opportunities for which are opened by international forums regularly held in Ashgabat.

Thanking the guest for his personal participation in the International Conference of Medical Scientists “Medical Diplomacy is the Foundation of a Healthy World” held in Ashgabat with the support of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the leader of the nation expressed confidence that the current forum will serve as the beginning of a new stage in a long-term successful partnership.

After exchanging mutual good wishes at parting, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Euro WHO Director Hans Kluge expressed confidence in further deepening and comprehensive expansion of the established productive Turkmenistan-WHO dialogue, which fully meets the global goals and contemporaneity objectives.

The President of Turkmenistan Received the Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe