Tuesday, 31 January 2023
There has been a shortage of pharmaceutical drugs world wide including problems with accessing raw materials, Minister of Health, Izlem Gürçağ Altuğra said, Yeniduzen reports.
Speaking to BRT, the health minister said that his ministry is working with the Turkish Ministry of Health to solve the problem of drug supply shortages.
“We are working in a positive way with the Pharmacists’ Association and pharmacy warehouses. There is nothing we cannot account for”, Altuğra said.
“Oncology drugs, MS and epilepsy drugs have arrived at the Pharmacy Department. Some pharmaceutical warehouses have been approved to bring medicines to our country. The drugs will be in our country in about a week, ten days. In this context, drugs have arrived and will continue to come.
“We have to establish factories producing drugs in our own country. I believe that we can produce drugs that are used very frequently, and drugs that are easily accessible”, Altuğra stated.
Health Care Protocol With Turkey
Clarifying the last issue of cooperation with Turkey in the field of health, Altuğra said that those who have both TR and TRNC identity cards will benefit from the health system in Turkey, but firstly, a protocol has to be signed.
Altuğra said, “We are also working to ensure that only those who have TRNC ID cards can benefit from the arrangement. As our talks continue, the content of the protocol will become clearer“.
General Health Insurance
Work on the Law on General Health Insurance and Revolving Funds in accordance with the legal legislation has been accelerated, Altuğra said, adding that a technical committee will be in Ankara on 6-7 February.
Increased Flu Infection Rates
The health minister also pointed out that flu infection rates had increased world wide, noting that lockdown during the pandemic had meant that the public was exposed to fewer viruses and bacteria which tended to lower natural immunity.
