World Bank Approves $250M for Türkiye’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness

The Türkiye Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies Project aims to expand vaccine production, strengthen disease surveillance, and enhance emergency response capabilities.

The World Bank Board has approved $250 million in financing to bolster Türkiye’s readiness for and response to public health emergencies. The Türkiye Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies Project aims to expand vaccine production, strengthen disease surveillance, and enhance emergency response capabilities.

The project will finance equipment and technical assistance to support the production of vaccines, ensuring a reliable supply of domestically manufactured immunizations. It will also address a wide array of public health risks arising from infectious diseases, climate change, and natural disasters.

The initiative is set to benefit Türkiye’s entire population by improving access to vaccines, enhancing disease monitoring systems, and fortifying response strategies to mitigate public health risks. These measures aim to prevent disease outbreaks and reduce economic and social impacts.

“Türkiye has made significant strides in the health sector, enhancing access to affordable healthcare and improving health outcomes through a well-functioning primary healthcare network,” said Humberto Lopez, World Bank Country Director for Türkiye. “This operation will enhance the country’s resilience by strengthening public sector capacity to contain disease outbreaks and to effectively plan response and risk communication for public health emergencies.”

Türkiye’s Recent Public Health Challenges

The project comes in response to a series of public health crises that have exposed the country’s vulnerabilities:

COVID-19 Pandemic: With over 17 million confirmed cases and more than 100,000 deaths, the pandemic highlighted gaps in Türkiye’s healthcare infrastructure.

February 2023 Earthquakes: The devastating quakes resulted in over 50,000 deaths, 107,000 injuries, and 3.3 million displaced people. Damaged healthcare facilities, water systems, and sanitation infrastructure increased the risk of infectious diseases.

Climate Change Impacts: Türkiye is increasingly vulnerable to heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and other climate-related events, elevating the risk of disease outbreaks and biological hazards.

“These challenges underscore the importance of bolstering Türkiye’s capacity to effectively respond to increasing risks to public health,” said Nadwa Rafeh, World Bank Project Team Leader.

A Comprehensive Approach to Public Health

The project integrates lessons from the World Bank’s leadership in Türkiye’s COVID-19 response, focusing on modernizing healthcare infrastructure and implementing high standards of disease preparedness.

Long-Term Benefits

The financing is expected to yield widespread benefits by strengthening Türkiye’s ability to contain future health threats, reduce public health risks, and ensure greater resilience in the face of climate and natural disaster-related challenges.

By investing in vaccine production and emergency preparedness, Türkiye will be better positioned to protect its population from emerging health crises while fostering economic stability and societal well-being.