Special Unit for Tuberculosis Patients Opens in Konya

The opening ceremony of the 11-bed Tuberculosis patient service and the 6-bed intensive care unit, which were brought to Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital by the Konya Tuberculosis War Association, was held with a ceremony. With the unit opened after the Tuberculosis Provincial Coordination Board meeting, another important health problem of Konya was solved.

Provincial Health Director Prof. Dr. Mehmet Koç, Konya Tuberculosis War Association President Mümtaz Koru, NEU Meram Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Metin Doğan, Provincial Health Directorate service heads and vice presidents, Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Erkoçak, hospital chief physicians, Tuberculosis officers of public, university and private hospitals and chest diseases specialist doctors attended the opening of the Tuberculosis Unit.

'The first center opened in Konya'

Provincial Health Director Prof. Dr. Mehmet Koç, who started his speech by stating that tuberculosis disease is an extremely important threat for both our country and the world, said, "Our Tuberculosis unit is a unique center in Konya with our 11-bed patient and 6-bed intensive care unit. Together with our tuberculosis clinic, we provide services to both our city and the surrounding provinces. Our tuberculosis patients were referred to Ankara in previous years. This situation was a huge problem especially for families, causing serious trauma and burden in terms of financial and social aspects. With the opening of this center, a major health problem of Konya has thus been eliminated."

'Tuberculosis unit, health safety center'

Prof. Dr. Koç said, "Our tuberculosis unit continues to provide services as a safety center on behalf of Konya in case of epidemic diseases. As a country, we have seen the reflection of a sound health system in terms of epidemic diseases together during the pandemic period. When we look at the data, we are in a much better position in Tuberculosis control than Europe and America. This reveals our success as a country in both hospital services and preventive health services."

In his speech, he expressed his pride in serving as the president of an association that has signed such important services in Mümtaz Koru, the President of Konya Tuberculosis War Association, and wished the Tuberculosis patient service and intensive care unit to be beneficial. Mayor Koru said, "We are very happy to be opening the 11-bed Tuberculosis patient service and the 6-bed intensive care unit, which were completed by the end of 2020 but opened today due to the pandemic. I would like to thank our Provincial Health Directorate for giving us such an opportunity."

Reminding that Konya Tuberculosis War Association was founded in 1947 under the leadership of the late Mümtaz Koru, President Koru said, "Our patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in our city were sent to Ankara, which was a great burden and distress for our patients, most of whom had low income levels. Now, with this unit we have opened, our patients will not be referred to other provinces and will be able to be treated as inpatients in the cities where they live. As Konya Tuberculosis War Association, our services will continue to increase in the following processes."

Following the speeches, the presentations made by Konya Tuberculosis Provincial Coordinator Dr. Ayşe Bulut and Tuberculosis Active Surveillance Provincial Officer Nurse Özlem Girgiç and the situation of Tuberculosis in the world, Turkey and Konya were shared with the participants with statistical data.

After the opening, the participants visited the Tuberculosis Unit and made examinations.