According to the statement made by the Ministry, Minister Memişoğlu attended the 3rd National Biomedical Congress organized by the Biomedical Technologies Association (BİYOTED) in Antalya. Speaking at the congress, Memişoğlu stated that Türkiye has reached a significant capacity in health services in the last 25 years and said, "Under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we have been providing an exemplary health service to the world by adding both administrative, infrastructure and physical quality to human quality in the last 25 years." he said. Minister Memişoğlu pointed out that Türkiye, with its healthcare workforce of approximately 1.5 million and 275 thousand patient beds, can provide services not only to its own citizens, but also to surrounding countries and people from different parts of the world.
"LET'S PRODUCE TOGETHER. COME INVEST IN OUR IDEAS"
Emphasizing that Türkiye should continue its success in health services in the field of health technologies, Memişoğlu said, "Yes, we are good in health services. But we also have a manpower that can produce and develop health technologies, devices and materials. That's why we call it 'Productive Health'." he said. Minister Memişoğlu touched upon the importance of all stakeholders in the health sector acting towards a common goal and emphasized that Türkiye should no longer be seen only as a market but as a center of production and innovation. "The world must see that, yes, Türkiye is no longer a market; it must define Türkiye as a partner, a new producer, a new innovative center." Memişoğlu said, adding that he has confidence in Türkiye's qualified manpower and strong health infrastructure.
Minister Memişoğlu continued his words as follows: "'We do not just want to provide health care, maintenance of an existing device, management of an existing device. We want to produce new devices. We want to produce new methodologies.' If you think, we will solve this. Because I trust you, because I trust this manpower, because I trust this infrastructure, because I trust that they can do this, I say to the world, 'Let's produce together. Come and invest in our ideas.'" Minister of Health Memişoğlu stated that in line with this goal, TÜSEB is positioned as a structure that facilitates the transformation of ideas into products, and said that they work with a concept called "TÜSEB from Idea to Product, from Türkiye to the World". Stating that the experiences of healthcare professionals and engineers and technicians working in the field of biomedical technology regarding the devices they use are an important resource in the development of new products, Minister Memişoğlu invited everyone working in the healthcare field to convey their ideas to the Ministry via the Producer Health Portal. Noting that the submitted ideas were brought together with financing and industry representatives after the patent processes, Memişoğlu said that employees working in the field of biomedical technology should not be seen only as people who provide the maintenance and functionality of existing devices.
"WE PRODUCE THE BEST, WE WILL CONTINUE PRODUCING THE BEST"
Minister Memişoğlu said, "You are not just the manpower to look after the spare parts of a device or keep the device active for us. You are the manpower to produce new devices, produce new materials, provide new methodologies, and provide the infrastructure." he said. Giving examples of the products developed by Türkiye in the field of domestic health technologies, Memişoğlu stated that domestic respirators were exported to 45 countries. Reminding that the device, which went into mass production during the COVID-19 period, was produced in Batman and sent to the whole world today, Minister Memişoğlu noted that the heart-lung machine developed with domestic resources was used in 60 patients. Memişoğlu stated that oxygenator production studies are continuing and important steps have been taken in the field of domestic vaccine and drug development. Stating that for the first time, a domestically produced immunological smart drug has entered the clinical trial phase and that the product diversity in health technologies will be increased, Memişoğlu said that an agreement was made for the production of ultrasound devices in Türkiye and it is aimed to start domestic ultrasound production within two years.
Minister Memişoğlu stated that negotiations are being held with international companies for the development of robotic surgery devices. Stating that they aim to produce the software and hardware of robotic surgery devices in Türkiye, Memişoğlu said, "I have engineers, technicians, physicians, and the defense industry has technology as a habit. This country will produce this device." he said. Emphasizing that all stakeholders should work together to achieve more advanced goals in health technologies, Memişoğlu said, "We produce the best, we will continue to produce the best, I say this clearly." he said. Minister Memişoğlu stated that they are working on a new structure that will bring together stakeholders in the field of health technologies, and that they will put forward a different discourse on this issue in Türkiye next year, and said, "We are preparing for this. Get ready, too." he said.
