President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday that Türkiye aims to produce 700 ultrasound devices a year with a domestic content rate of at least 71 percent within two years, speaking at the 12th Turkish Medical World Congress (Türk Tıp Dünyası Kurultayı) in Istanbul, Star, Habertürk and Takvim reported.
The congress was held together with the 2026 award ceremony of TÜSEB, the Health Institutes of Türkiye, whose prizes are named after the scientist Aziz Sancar. Erdoğan told the audience that Sancar was among the guests, according to Star and Habertürk.
Türeci and Şahin among award recipients
Habertürk reported that this year’s Aziz Sancar Science Award went to Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin. Takvim also named the two scientists among the recipients, noting their work on a COVID-19 vaccine. Neither report listed the other winners in full.
Domestic medical devices
Much of the president’s speech focused on medical equipment made in Türkiye. He said ventilators produced in Batman, in the country’s southeast, are used in Turkish hospitals and exported to 45 countries, according to Star and Takvim; Habertürk also reported the 45-country figure.
Erdoğan said a heart-lung machine has been developed entirely with domestic resources, Star and Takvim reported.
On the ultrasound plan, Star and Takvim quoted him as saying that "at the end of the next two years" the country would produce 700 devices a year with at least 71 percent local content. He compared the goal with the growth of the defence industry, saying Türkiye would achieve in the health sector the same success it had in defence, according to both outlets.
Thanks to health workers
Erdoğan opened his speech by thanking health workers in all 81 provinces, Star and Takvim reported.
He also referred to the summit of the Organization of Turkic States held in Ankara the previous day, where leaders adopted the Ankara Declaration, Star and Takvim reported.
Sources
- #CANLI Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan: Sağlıklı Türkiye Yüzyılı vizyonu merkezimizde (Star)
- Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan’dan önemli açıklamalar (Habertürk)
- 12. Türk Tıp Dünyası Kurultayı! Başkan Erdoğan’dan önemli açıklamalar (Takvim)
Photo: Harrison Keely / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
