The Minister of Health Dr. Fahrettin Koca visited the 112 Anatolian Command Center located in Uskudar, Istanbul on new year's day. Following this visit, Minister Koca spoke with the parents of Umut Eliz, one of the first babies of the new year.
Minister Koca, who called on the health workers on the radio said, “I think you recognize me from my voice, from Istanbul Anadolu 112 Command Center. I would like to wish all of you a happy new year. Hoping 2022 to be a peaceful, happy, and safe year."
Koca pointed out that for the last two years as health workers have had a difficult time, noting that all health workers, especially doctors, have been working tirelessly.
Stressing that the whole nation witnessed this dedication and sacrifice, Koca added:
“As you know, 2021 was declared as the ‘Year of Health and Care Workers’ by the World Health Organization upon our suggestion. In my point of view, every year is dedicated to health and care workers. Rest assured that we are doing our best to make sure that the days ahead of us are healthier, peaceful, and safe. It is particularly meaningful that we are greeting the new year in Istanbul. As you know, we are quite busy with the Omicron variant. Case numbers have increased 5-fold in Istanbul. Today we had a meeting with our chief physicians and discussed the measures that can be taken. Despite the fact that the number of cases is high, it is pleasing that hospital workloads are not at the same rate."
Video call with the parents of the first baby of the new year in Istanbul
Minister Koca received information about the health status of the parents of Umut Eliz, Aysun Şengör and Hashim Şengör, through a video call and celebrated the new year of the family.
Koca said: "I believe it was a normal delivery. We do not recommend a c-section unless it is absolutely necessary. We consider it to be an operation rather than an alternative to normal delivery. Because it is a surgery. A surgical intervention. Therefore, we will also work to reduce c-section in 2022. We work to make sure that midwives play an active role and that every pregnant woman has a midwife."
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