The World Bank has approved a $250 million financing package aimed at enhancing Türkiye's preparedness for public health emergencies. This initiative, known as the Türkiye Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies Project, seeks to expand vaccine production and bolster the country's ability to detect and respond swiftly to health crises.
The funding will facilitate improvements in vaccine production by providing necessary equipment and technical support. It also aims to strengthen emergency preparedness against various public health risks, including those arising from infectious diseases, climate change, and natural disasters.
The project is designed to benefit the entire population of Türkiye by increasing access to domestically produced vaccines over time. It also aims to improve disease surveillance and enhance emergency response capabilities, thereby helping prevent the spread of infectious diseases with positive implications for health, economy, and society.
Humberto Lopez, World Bank Country Director for Türkiye, remarked on the country's advancements in healthcare access and outcomes through a robust primary healthcare network. "This operation will enhance the country’s resilience by strengthening public sector capacity to contain disease outbreaks," Lopez stated. He added that it would enable effective planning for responses and risk communication during public health emergencies.
Türkiye has recently faced significant challenges highlighting its vulnerability to such emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in over 17 million confirmed cases and more than 100,000 deaths. Additionally, earthquakes in February 2023 caused substantial casualties and infrastructure damage while displacing millions of people. These events increased the risk of infectious disease outbreaks due to compromised healthcare facilities and water systems.
Furthermore, climate change effects like heatwaves, flooding, and wildfires have intensified Türkiye's susceptibility to public health threats by raising the risk of natural hazards leading to disease outbreaks.
Nadwa Rafeh, World Bank Project Team Leader, emphasized these challenges' role in highlighting the need for improved response capacity: “These challenges underscore the importance of bolstering Türkiye’s capacity.”
As a key development partner in Türkiye's health sector efforts, the World Bank previously supported responses during the COVID-19 pandemic's peak impact on both health services and economic stability.