TRNC Covid-19 patients to be flown to Turkey for treatment
COVID-19 patients in the TRNC will be flown to Turkey for treatment under plans unveiled by Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca during a telephone conversation with Prime Ersin Tatar on Wednesday.
In a broad-ranging discussion, the men discussed collaboration on current and future measures needed to combat the pandemic, with Mr Koca saying: “We will continue to assist the TRNC in the provision of information and medicines along with doctors, if necessary, and are working towards bringing patients to Turkey by air ambulance if requested to do so.”
Mr Koca also disclosed a new, larger role that he envisaged for the Turkish-funded hospital now under construction in Lefkoşa,
which was originally intended solely for Covid-19 patients.
“It will now be used for all types of medical treatment,” he said. “It will not be an emergency facility just for the pandemic but one that can provide services such as heart surgery, including angiography and dialysis, with six operating theatres and other extensive facilities.”
PM Tatar thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
and Mr Koca for their continued and growing assistance and stressed the importance of strong economic and diplomatic ties with Turkey.
“The motherland is always by our side,” he said. “We, as a country and a people, are dedicated to developing a future of welfare and security. This pandemic will come to an end and we will continue along that path.
“In such a challenging time as this, the strength and assistance of Turkey, including shared political concerns, are of the utmost importance.”
On Tuesday Mr Tatar and Health Minister Ali Pilli visited the new hospital building site, which is located next to the Lefkoşa State Hospital car park.
Stating that construction work is “coming to an end”, Mr Pilli said that the Health Ministry is planning to put the new hospital into service on October 10, after equipment is brought from Turkey from October 2 onwards.
Mr Tatar said: “The pandemic is under control in our country. We will keep taking the necessary measures under the direction of the [Communicable Diseases High] Committee’s and Health Ministry’s suggestions.”