The 5th Meeting of Health Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) took place in Astana, Kazakhstan on April 8, 2025. Hosted by Minister of Health of Kazakhstan Dr. Akmaral Alnazarova, the meeting was attended by Minister of Health of the Republic of Türkiye Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu, Minister of Health of Azerbaijan Dr. Teymur Musayev, Minister of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic Dr. Erkin Checheybayev, Minister of Health of Uzbekistan Dr. Asilbek Hudayarov, as well as the OTS Secretary-General Kubanychbek Omuraliev, and WHO Regional Director of Europe Dr. Hans Kluge. Furthermore, as observer states, Hungary and Turkmenistan were respectively represented by Deputy Minister of the Interior Judit Bidló, and by the Director General for Infectious Diseases Center Annaymurat Rejepov.
Following the OTS Health Ministers Meeting, the Final Declaration was signed by the Health Ministers of the OTS members states, and Memorandums of Understanding in the Field of Biosafety and Medical Education were also signed between the Turkish Ministry and the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan.
On the occasion of the meeting, Health Minister Prof. Memisoğlu met with the Minister of Health of Kazakhstan Dr. Akmaral Alnazarova, Minister of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic Dr. Erkin Checheybayev, Minister of Health of Uzbekistan Dr. Asilbek Hudayarov, OTS Secretary-General Kubanychbek Omuraliev and WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge. The guest ministers were also received by the Vice President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Tamara B. Duisenova and Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Oljas Bektenov. Health Minister Prof. Memisoğlu, together with other participating Health Ministers, took part as a speaker in the “Panel on Attracting and Encouraging Investments in the Health Sector in the Countries of the Organization of Turkic States”.
In the margins of the Meeting, on April 7, 2025, Director General for EU and Foreign Affairs Dr. Aziz Alper Biten visited the National Emergency Medicine Coordination Center together with the participating Health Ministers, and on this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding in the Field of Emergency Health Services was signed between the Turkish Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Coordination Center of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan. The Turkish delegation also participated in the “Walk the Talk” Healthy Life Event organized by WHO and the Sub-Regional Meeting titled “Launch of TB-Free Central Asia Initiative”. During the meeting, Director General for Public Health Assoc. Prof. Muhammed Emin Demirkol answered questions regarding Türkiye’s activities in tuberculosis. Finally, the delegation participated in the visit to the National Scientific Oncology Center and the Republican Hospital.