International Health Graduates of Türkiye Meet in Istanbul

The International Congress of Türkiye Health Graduates, held in Istanbul for the second time this year, hosted important international participants. The congress, built around a main theme based on the idea that foreign physicians and other health professionals who graduated in Türkiye will each be voluntary health ambassadors for Türkiye, attracted great interest from participants from abroad. Bahçeşehir University School of Medicine faculty member Assist. Prof. Dr. Akın Akakın also spoke at the congress.

At the congress, organized by TÜMSİAD at the Polat Renaissance Hotel on 3–7 December and supported by the Ministry of Health, the topic "Developing Common Policy and Strategy in Health" came to the fore this year. In addition to guests from senior state officials, the congress was attended by health ministers from abroad and doctors who graduated in Türkiye.

CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION IN HEALTH

Pointing out that Türkiye has achieved a very significant transformation and change in health over the last 12 years, Müezzinoğlu said: "Its basic philosophy is to provide its people with the health services they deserve. For this reason, with the approach of removing all obstacles to equitable access to health, we have left no obstacle to access to health for our 77 million people. We are expanding a dynamic management approach every day, and we have largely achieved a health service that will set an example for the world. Our goal is to reach even better levels."

Müezzinoğlu stated that by the end of 2018, Türkiye will stand out in the world with hospitals with a capacity of 90,000–95,000 beds, buildings constructed with highly advanced technology and equipped with advanced medical technology.
Stating that there is currently no other country in the world renewing all its physical health facilities and 75–80% of its medical equipment from scratch, Müezzinoğlu said: "Our concern is to offer people and humanity a health service that can set an example for the world in health, the area of greatest need."

MORE THAN 30,000 SURGICAL CASES OF EXPERIENCE

At the congress, which the Bahçeşehir University School of Medicine also attended, Bahçeşehir University School of Medicine faculty member Assist. Prof. Dr. Akın Akakın said:

"As the Department of Brain and Spine Surgery at the Bahçeşehir University School of Medicine, we believe that we form one of the leading and pioneering neurosurgery departments not only in our country but in the world. The first feature of the brain and spine surgery system we have built is our experience of more than 30,000 surgeries; the second is our laboratories serving tomorrow's patients and the scientific publications and patents produced in these laboratories; and the third is our residency and doctoral training programs built on solid foundations.

As the BAU Neurosurgery family, we perform an average of 800 spine surgeries a year in our operating rooms equipped with the latest technology. Research on the brain and spine conducted in our department's laboratories has been presented at many international meetings, published in many scientific journals, and played an important role in shaping patients' lives and developing new treatments.

In the functional surgery unit, where technology meets neurosurgery, we perform stereotactic biopsy, epilepsy surgery and treatment of movement disorders for our patients. Thanks to our articles, research and the training we provide to our doctors, we are a department that has received the 'center of excellence' award.

We carry out our surgeries with an infrastructure supported by high-tech devices. We routinely use intraoperative MRI, neuronavigation and ultrasound devices. We continue to use Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, one of the pinnacles of medicine and science, with our experience of more than 8,000 patients.

In particular, with its outstanding qualities, BAU Brain and Spine Surgery has shown that it can be not only one of our country's respected institutions but also one of the world's leading research, training and treatment centers."

Minister of Health Müezzinoğlu visited the BAU Medicine stand at the congress.

Regarding the congress, Bahçeşehir University Dean of the School of Medicine Prof. Dr. Türker Kılıç said: "We are happy to support our country more every day through our education" .

Kılıç added: "I believe that the International Congress of Türkiye Health Graduates, held for the second time this year, is extremely important and effective for our country. To date, about 3,500 foreign doctors have received health education in Türkiye and graduated here. It is a source of pride that our country ranks among the top choices in health education, health tourism and all kinds of health services. With our world-class work and training in Brain and Spine Surgery at the Bahçeşehir University School of Medicine, we are happy to support our country more every day."

As part of the congress, specialist doctors and health administrators from Africa, the Balkans and the Caucasus also visited the BAU Health Göztepe Campus.