Health Minister Memişoğlu speaks on 'Mpox': Important statements from the source

Responding to questions about the agenda on Habertürk TV, Memişoğlu said that the mpox outbreak has been in Congo for 20 years and is not a new disease.

Noting that the World Health Organization declared an emergency in July 2022 just as it did today, Memişoğlu recalled that this declaration continued until May 2023, and that a few cases were seen in Europe and Turkey at that time.

Memişoğlu said, "We do not have it at the moment. Now it is being seen again in the same region in 2024 with a different version. This disease is a type normally seen in that region anyway. This is a variant that is said to be more contagious and transmitted through contact. When we sit down and talk with scientists, we see that it has not been seen in Turkey in 2024. So far, no diagnosis related to this latest mpox disease has been made in our country. In other words, we do not have it so far, and I hope we never do."

"WE ARE ON ALERT"

Stating that the necessary preparations have been made, Memişoğlu said, "After this emergency, we formed our scientific committee and made all our plans and preparations regarding what measures should be taken if this disease comes to our country, what measures we will take before it arrives, and what we will do if it does. This scientific committee is actually the guide for combating the disease. The World Health Organization says this in its declaration. Be prepared, but there is no clarity on whether it will spread because this disease generally remains localized in Africa. Of course, there will be isolated cases elsewhere, but everyone, including scientists, expresses that the possibility of it becoming an epidemic will not be like COVID. COVID became a widespread disease because it is transmitted entirely through the respiratory tract, not by contact."

Noting that the structure of the virus could change or another virus could cause an epidemic, Memişoğlu said, "As a health system, we are prepared for this. We have started to take all our precautions. Just as we were successful with COVID, we are prepared for this with our health system and our human resources. We are taking every kind of precaution, from testing to vaccines."

Reminding that scientists have stated that those who have had the smallpox vaccine are 85 percent protected against this disease, Memişoğlu said, "There is almost no one in our country who has not had the smallpox vaccine until 1980. Still, we are taking every precaution. We have published everything in our scientific committee's guide regarding what the disease is, how it circulates, and how we will behave. This guide can be accessed on our website."

Noting that it is known that the disease starts with fever and headache, Memişoğlu stated that they are trying to track such cases with a history in Africa.

Memişoğlu said, "There is no state of alarm for now. Let our nation be at ease. We are on alert; there is no issue that requires the public to be on alert. They show that the death rate of the latest variant is slightly higher. But of course, 15 thousand citizens have been affected in Congo. According to the World Health Organization, there are 517 deaths. But they generally state that the death rate is high in frail people who have other diseases. That is why it is being monitored."

Noting that it is said there is a vaccine for the disease, Memişoğlu stated, however, that no one currently has clear information about the latest version.

Upon being reminded of the debates that diseases emerged after refugees arrived, Memişoğlu said that there is no such situation.

"WE WILL START PRODUCING 9 VACCINES OURSELVES"

Drawing attention to the need for society to become conscious about vaccines, Memişoğlu said, "We will produce our own vaccines. We will start producing 9 vaccines ourselves. At that time, it might have seemed easier to procure them from abroad, but now we will make these vaccines again. Turkey's human resources and human quality are very good. We are also preparing our infrastructure. Hopefully, we will become able to produce all of these vaccines ourselves."

Mentioning that there is a shortage of physicians, Memişoğlu stated that he is proud of the physicians and said, "They work with great devotion. Of course, there are exceptions, but we are truly providing an incredible health service. The world is truly taking us as an example regarding health."

"WE HAVE UPSET PHYSICIANS AS A SOCIETY"

Pointing to the Central Physician Appointment System (MHRS), Memişoğlu said that this should be thought of as a hospital's work schedule.

Regarding appointments, Memişoğlu said, "I know we have some problems in this regard. A patient cannot go to the appointment again, cannot find the same doctor. Sometimes you may not find the same doctor, that doctor may have left, but at least we will reorganize the organization related to that branch.

We will also ensure that the family physician organizes this. Family physicians and hospitals and the third-level institutions we call training and research hospitals will work in communication with each other. They are not integrated right now. We will do this within 6 months. The family physician will become able to make an appointment for the necessary patient when needed."

In response to a question about physicians leaving Turkey, Memişoğlu said, "Unfortunately, we have recently offended and alienated physicians a little, I am saying this as a society. We have upset physicians as a society."

"WE DO NOT HAVE A DRUG SHORTAGE"

When asked, "Do we have a drug shortage?", Memişoğlu said, "No. There are shortages of some drugs from time to time, but there is something like this. Because we write prescriptions by the name of a drug, that drug is sought after. Sometimes that drug is not available, but there is a generic equivalent with the same active ingredient. The citizen does not prefer that. Then a perception can be created that the drug is not available. Except for a few, we do not have a drug shortage at the moment."

Regarding the question, "Is there a situation such as including drugs for SMA patients in the SGK (Social Security Institution) coverage?", Memişoğlu stated that he had a study conducted on this and continued as follows:

"Unfortunately, these children are victims and in need, and their families are too, and the state provides medicine to most of these SMA patients. But unfortunately, a segment of our people has emerged who take advantage of this victimization. We have a scientific committee; it decides whether the drug will work or not. I gave the instruction for this study; how much did the drugs benefit the children in SMA patients, how many lives did it save, how many did it improve? We will announce these. SMA patients are the type of patients for whom our state pays for their drugs. But our scientific committee and our doctors decide on this. Unfortunately, it seems that the situation has gotten out of hand with campaigns and so on in this regard. We will make a regulation regarding this."

Upon being reminded that the Istanbul and Ankara Metropolitan Municipalities are implementing free HPV vaccination for women under 30, Memişoğlu noted that they have a study on the production of the HPV vaccine and said, "We will start production very soon and we will do it. We recommend it (to women under 30), but we need to explain well why it should be used and why it is needed."

When asked about the claim that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu intervened in bringing Tuğcan Işık, who was injured in a traffic accident on the island of Bali in Indonesia, to Turkey, Memişoğlu recalled that the patient was brought to Turkey by the Ministry of Health and stated the following:

"We do what is necessary in health. They asked for something different. We are not in a position to do what everyone wants. We do what is necessary. This friend of ours had a traffic accident. He has a few broken ribs. He is in a position to come by a normal plane. After I personally spoke with our ambassador there and the hospital, they stated that he could come by a normal plane within a few days. We planned it upon this. I thank Turkish Airlines and our ambassador. We picked him up and brought him to Istanbul Airport. I don't know if (İmamoğlu) got involved. He gave his ticket, I don't interfere with that. Whether a patient will come by private jet, helicopter, or normal plane, we act according to the patient's clinical condition, doctor, and necessity. If he needs to come by plane, if he is a Turkish citizen, even if he is in Fezzan, I will send the plane and have him picked up. I am such a powerful state. But if it is not necessary, 85 million people pay for the cost of that plane's flight."

Reminding that the patient is at Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Memişoğlu said, "I visited him yesterday, without making a show of it. I asked if they had any requests. He will be discharged today or tomorrow. We will transfer him to Izmir again."

"RABIES VACCINES ARE USED A LOT IN NUMERICAL TERMS"

In response to a question about the number of rabies cases and the stray dog problem, Memişoğlu said that he also keeps a dog in his own home and follows everything about his chipped dog.

Memişoğlu said, "When we look at the vaccination rates, we have seen that the rabies vaccine has been used at an incredible rate, especially in the last 3-4 years. Rabies vaccines are used a lot in numerical terms. Bites from stray dogs, bites, cats, etc. That is why a precaution needs to be taken, and the state seems to have done what is necessary."

Upon a question, Memişoğlu noted that violence in health is moving horizontally, emphasizing that he cannot solve the problem of being subjected to violence while doing good, and that health workers should be protected.

News Source: AA