The opening meeting of the “Strengthening the Capacity of the Ministry of Health to Reduce the Adverse Health Effects of Climate Change Project,” carried out in cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), was held.

Prof. Dr. Zahide Esra Durak, Director of Gazi University Vocational School of Health Services, attended the meeting as a Member of the Scientific Advisory Board. The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, public institutions and organizations, non-governmental organizations, and academia.

The meeting was organized through the collaborative efforts of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Öz, Director General of Public Health; Ömer Bircan, Deputy Director General; Dr. Hatice Sena Ergun, Head of the Climate Change and Health Effects Unit; and their team. Opening speeches were delivered by national and international institutional representatives, including Dr. Şuayıp Birinci, Deputy Minister of Health. The speeches emphasized the importance of addressing the adverse effects of climate change on public health and strengthening interinstitutional cooperation in this field.

Funded under the European Union's Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) and implemented by the World Health Organization, the project aims to strengthen institutional capacity to address climate-related health risks, improve the early detection and monitoring of climate-sensitive diseases, enhance the competencies of healthcare professionals, and establish a resilient healthcare infrastructure to protect public health.

The project, which seeks to strengthen preparedness and response capacities against the health impacts of climate change, is expected to make significant contributions to the protection of public health.