Turkic Solidarity Now Extends to Healthcare
Uzbekistan
Ministers of Health of the Organization of Turkic States held their fifth meeting in Astana, focusing on joint projects, digital medicine, and experience exchange.
On April 8, the 5th Meeting of Health Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The event was chaired by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova and gathered representatives from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Hungary, as well as the WHO and the Turkic Investment Fund.
In his opening remarks, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev emphasized that the meeting is a key step towards strengthening regional cooperation in healthcare within the framework of the "Turkic World Vision – 2040" and the OTS Strategy 2022–2026. He highlighted the importance of joint initiatives and collaboration with the WHO, including the “Walk the Talk” campaign and the launch of the “TB-Free Central Asia” initiative.
The ministers signed a Declaration on Cooperation and approved the OTS Health Cooperation Action Plan for 2025–2026. Additionally, several Memorandums of Understanding were signed in the fields of biosafety, emergency medical care, and medical education and science.
Kazakhstan’s Minister proposed declaring 2025 as the Year of Primary Healthcare in OTS countries. She also shared that over 90% of healthcare services in Kazakhstan are now fully digitalized.
Turkish Minister of Health, Kemal Memişoğlu, underlined that the Turkic world is a large family, and expressed Türkiye’s readiness to share its experience in developing family medicine, digital health solutions, and medical workforce training. He stressed the need for strong global health diplomacy and solidarity during times of crisis, recalling the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was also decided that the 6th OTS Health Ministers' Meeting will be held in Kyrgyzstan in 2026.
In his opening remarks, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev emphasized that the meeting is a key step towards strengthening regional cooperation in healthcare within the framework of the "Turkic World Vision – 2040" and the OTS Strategy 2022–2026. He highlighted the importance of joint initiatives and collaboration with the WHO, including the “Walk the Talk” campaign and the launch of the “TB-Free Central Asia” initiative.
The ministers signed a Declaration on Cooperation and approved the OTS Health Cooperation Action Plan for 2025–2026. Additionally, several Memorandums of Understanding were signed in the fields of biosafety, emergency medical care, and medical education and science.
Kazakhstan’s Minister proposed declaring 2025 as the Year of Primary Healthcare in OTS countries. She also shared that over 90% of healthcare services in Kazakhstan are now fully digitalized.
Turkish Minister of Health, Kemal Memişoğlu, underlined that the Turkic world is a large family, and expressed Türkiye’s readiness to share its experience in developing family medicine, digital health solutions, and medical workforce training. He stressed the need for strong global health diplomacy and solidarity during times of crisis, recalling the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was also decided that the 6th OTS Health Ministers' Meeting will be held in Kyrgyzstan in 2026.
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