Ahmet Savaşan, Founding President of the Health Tourism Council, said that health tourism is developing in the country and that state support and supervision are essential for the healthy development of this field

Officials of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council visited Minister of Health Dr. Faiz Sucuoğlu and asked for support for the Tourism Council where the road map for Health Tourism will be determined.

Ahmet Savaşan, Founding President of the Health Tourism Council, said in his speech during the visit that their aim is to contribute to the sustainable structure of tourism in general and Health Tourism in particular in the country.

Savaşan pointed out that what is needed in the field of health is to develop a holistic perspective, to create a sufficient budget with new funding sources without discriminating between the public and private sectors, to give patients the right to choose hospitals and physicians, and to establish an effective supervision mechanism.

Stating that chronic diseases have increased in recent years with the aging of the world's population, especially in developed countries, Savaşan pointed out that in parallel with the increase in treatment expenditures and long waiting times, patients are turning to countries where they can receive lower cost and higher quality healthcare services.

HIGH POTENTIAL FOR THE THIRD AGE

Savaşan also emphasized that Northern Cyprus has an important potential for Health Tourism with its historical, geographical and humanitarian features, high comfort hospitals consisting of smart buildings, specialist physicians using up-to-date information, qualified hospitals and clinics whose number is increasing day by day with their international accreditations, as well as climatic conditions and price advantages with the characteristics sought by third age tourists.

STATE SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION ARE ESSENTIAL

Stating that 30 million people in the world go abroad to find healing and that the annual turnover in this sector has reached 150 Billion Dollars, Ahmet Savaşan pointed out that Health Tourism creates five to six times more added value for countries than Holiday (Mass) Tourism. Stating that one and a half billion people living within a five-hour flight distance create a great potential in terms of Health Tourism, Savaşan pointed out that Health Tourism has developed at a certain rate in our country with the initiatives of private hospitals, especially NEU Hospital, as well as IVF centers, and that state support and supervision are essential for the healthy development of this field.

Savaşan reminded that the council officials met with Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister for Cyprus Affairs Tuğrul Türkeş at the Çankaya Mansion in recent weeks, and that Türkeş found the development of Health Tourism extremely important in order to increase the added value in the TRNC and stated his belief that this would be a beneficial project for the TRNC. Savaşan said, “Turkey is ready to support us if we produce the necessary projects for Health Tourism.”.

PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR A REVOLUTION IN MENTALITY

Stating that they consider the presence of Fikri Ataoğlu in the UBP-DP Government as well as three ministers who have served as Tourism Ministers in the past as a great opportunity, Savaşan said, “Our people expect the government to produce permanent solutions to the needs by implementing the necessary mentality revolution for our country in other areas of our lives, especially in tourism.”.

SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IS IMPORTANT

“Health Tourism Infrastructure of Northern Cyprus: What Do We Have?”, “Obstacles to Health Tourism Development: What We Do Not Have?” and “Which Issues Should We Focus on in Health Tourism: What Should We Do?” as a separate topic, Savaşan reminded that they received the promise from the Minister of Tourism that the Tourism Council will be held in a short time and said that the support of the Ministry of Health for this council is extremely important.

SUCUOĞLU “WE ARE READY TO SUPPORT...”

In his speech during the visit, Minister Dr. Faiz Sucuoğlu said that he knows the needs of the sector well since he has recently served as the Minister of Tourism and pointed out the importance of bringing alternative tourism types to Northern Cyprus. Stating that many countries are competing for a share of the Health Tourism pie, Dr. Sucuoğlu said, “We are ready to provide the necessary support for our country to get the share it deserves from Health Tourism. We will do our part in the best way possible regarding the Shura.”.

IVF CHARTER FINALIZED

Emphasizing that the IVF Regulation, also known as the IVF Regulation, was passed by the Council of Ministers, Minister Sucuoğlu said, “I believe that IVF practices, which have an important place in Health Tourism, will become healthier, reliable, auditable, in accordance with the conditions of the day and European Union criteria, modern, transparent and sustainable with the passed regulation.”.