11 health institutions in TRNC have been accredited by the International Online Patient Referral System map2heal, which is described as a historical step for the development of Health Tourism in the world.
The accreditation ceremony was held with the participation of Fikri Ataoğlu, Minister of Tourism and Environment, Dr. Faiz Sucuoğlu, Minister of Health, Emin Çakmak, Founding President of the World Health Tourism Council, Ahmet Savaşan, President of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, Dr. Remzi Gardiyanoğlu, President of the Association of Self-Employed Physicians, Dr. Hayat İzel, President of the Association of Private Hospitals and officials of 11 institutions operating in the field of health in the TRNC.
Savaşan: “A new era in Health Tourism has begun...”
Speaking at the ceremony, Ahmet Savaşan emphasized that their aim is to increase tourism revenues throughout the TRNC and to increase the added value within the country. Stating that Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün, the Ministers of Tourism and Health and the Turkish authorities believe that Health Tourism will positively affect the TRNC economy and contribute to the country standing on its own feet, Savaşan emphasized that the government has made a great effort to make Health Tourism a state policy. Thanking the government and the Turkish authorities for their support on behalf of the council and the people of the country, Savaşan emphasized that a new era in health tourism has started in the TRNC with the signatures signed.
Cakmak: “Map2heal connects 90 countries...”
Explaining that Map2heal, which was implemented as a project of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), is a historical step for the development of Health Tourism in the world, Çakmak said in his speech that the Map2heal system connects 90 countries and 151 offices online.
Services in 17 different languages...
Stating that Map2heal removes the boundaries of communication in health, Çakmak said that thanks to the system, patients all over the world can send their Computerized Tomography, Coronary Angiography, MRI, X-ray, Echocardiography and all similar examinations to doctors within seconds, and doctors can receive their comments and suggestions in 17 different languages.
Council members will be able to access the system for free...
Reminding that NEU Hospital and physicians were first accredited to map2heal in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Çakmak said that health institutions that are members of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council can participate in the system free of charge.
Ataoğlu: “Tourism will reach 2 trillion dollars in 2020...’
Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, who started his speech by mentioning that Northern Cyprus is preferred for vacation and education from all over the world, said that the tourism sector will continue to grow in the next 20 years and will reach a volume of 2 trillion dollars in 2020.
“We will support by taking concrete steps...”
“We are determined to take concrete steps in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, to realize the necessary legal and infrastructural arrangements and to encourage this field, like all countries prone to Health Tourism, which has taken its unique place in the tourism industry, which continues its development despite many negativities in the world,” Ataoğlu said, adding that the TRNC's geographical location, historical, touristic and humanitarian features, He said that the Near East and Kyrenia University Hospitals, especially the Near East and Kyrenia University Hospitals, have all the necessary features to be preferred in health tourism thanks to their high-comfort private hospitals consisting of smart buildings, IVF centers, international accreditations, medical massage and spa applications offered in their hotels, as well as the price advantage combined with their potential in third age tourism.
“We are working for the development of alternative tourism types...”
Mentioning that the Founding Presidents of the Council Ahmet Savaşan and Emin Çakmak have made a great contribution to the development of Health Tourism in the TRNC and the opportunities of Northern Cyprus in this field to the world, Ataoğlu stated that they are working for the optimization of mass tourism revenues on the one hand and the development of alternative tourism types on the other.
Sucuoğlu: “TRNC has integrated into the world...”
In his speech, Minister of Health Dr. Faiz Sucuoğlu said that the TRNC is integrated into the world thanks to Map2heal and emphasized that the Ministries of Health and Tourism and the Council have achieved a good synergy and have taken important steps for the development of Health Tourism. Stating that the preparation of the Health Tourism Master Plan draft has come to an end, Sucuoğlu pointed out that their most important goal is to increase the quality of health in the TRNC.
“Health tourists leave 8 times more foreign currency...”
Stating that 30 million people in the world go abroad to find healing, Sucuoğlu said that health tourists leave up to eight times more foreign currency to countries than other tourists. Stating that the TRNC Government is working with Turkey in order for Northern Cyprus to become one of the actors in this field, Sucuoğlu added that the necessary steps have been taken.
“Map2heal is the most important step in recent times...”
Emphasizing that trust, peace, a clean environment and quality service are important in Health Tourism, Sucuoğlu said that the Ministry of Health is doing its part for the TRNC to get more share from the World Health Tourism market. Finally, Sucuoğlu added that map2heal accreditation is the most important step in the country recently.
