On behalf of the Turkish Ministry of Health, Deputy Health Minister Prof. Dr. Emine Alp Meşe and the accompanying delegation attended the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) organized in Doha, Qatar on 13-14 November 2018. At the margin of the summit attended by around 2000 persons from over 100 countries, Prof. Dr. Alp Meşe held bilateral meetings with the Health Ministers of Qatar and Sudan.
In addition to the bilateral meetings, Prof. Dr. Alp Meşe took part, as panelist, in the Antimicrobial Resistance session moderated by high-level representative of the Ministry of Health of the United Kingdom Ms. Dame Sally Davis. The other panelists were Health Minister of the State of Qatar Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari, WHO Regional Director for East Mediterranean Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari and WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti.
In her speech, Prof. Dr. Alp Meşe underlined importance of result-oriented national and international action plans covering such other sectors as agriculture, environment and food based on the approach of “one health”.
In the AMR session, Prof. Dr. Alp Meşe also mentioned about Turkey’s adoption of the Rational Drug Use Action Plan including 99 actions and implementation of the plan in cooperation with the main stakeholders mainly physicians, pharmacists and representatives of health industries. In this regard, she added that antibiotic consumption decreased by 17% in a year through rapid antigen tests for upper respiratory infections, public ads to prevent uncontrolled use of antibiotics and Drug Tracing & Tracking System. Furthermore, prescription of antibiotics decreased to 29.5% from 34.94%.
Underlining the importance of global initiatives besides the national policies, Prof. Dr. Alp Meşe expressed her belief that events organized by Turkey at the margin of the 67th Session of the World Health Assembly and G20 Summit 2015 provided an opportunity to raise awareness about AMR.