Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the World Health Organization Europe Award for Türkiye’s humanitarian work for Palestinians. WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge presented the award during the 11th Turkish Medical World Congress in Ankara on Wednesday.
Erdogan criticised the global community for remaining silent as attacks devastated Gaza’s hospitals over the past two years. He said the world watched as patients, health workers and infants faced deadly strikes. He stressed that such indifference damaged humanity’s moral foundation.
He stated that the world would become a paradise when humanity celebrated every saved life with shared joy. He added that Türkiye continued working toward that vision through its humanitarian and medical efforts.
Türkiye Highlights Major Health System Reforms
Erdogan said Türkiye transformed its health care system over the past 23 years into a modern and accessible network. He stated that the system now serves 86 million people through more than 1.47 million health personnel.
He highlighted that Türkiye expanded its health workforce by 288 percent since 2002. He added that authorities recruited nearly 100,000 new personnel in the past eighteen months, including more than 57,000 physicians.
Erdogan noted that Türkiye renewed or rebuilt 80 percent of its public hospitals. He said the government constructed 794 new hospitals, raising public bed capacity to 173,000. Qualified beds increased from 7,000 in 2002 to 122,000 today. He added that total national capacity expanded from 164,000 to 271,000 during the same period.
He also addressed reconstruction in earthquake-hit provinces. He said Türkiye completed 109 health facilities with more than 5,100 beds across eleven provinces. He noted that total capacity in those regions increased from 23,733 to 27,503 beds.
Commitment to Medical Innovation Continues
Erdogan stressed the importance of advancing scientific research, pharmaceuticals and medical device production. He expressed confidence that Türkiye could achieve strong progress in health technologies as it did in the defence sector. He said Türkiye would continue supporting innovative and realistic initiatives that strengthen national health goals.
Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran commented on the award on NSosyal. He said the recognition reflected Türkiye’s humanitarian diplomacy under Erdogan’s leadership. He stated that Türkiye ensured ongoing aid to Gaza and supported safe medical evacuations despite severe conditions. He added that Erdogan’s long-standing commitment to the Palestinian cause continued influencing regional and global platforms.
