Baku, Astana to collaborate in healthcare and medical sciences Photo

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Health Teymur Musayev took part in the 5th Meeting of Health Ministers of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), currently under way in Astana, Kazakhstan, the Azerbaijani Health Ministry has confirmed.

The gathering, supported by the Organisation of Turkic States and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health, brings together health ministers from OTS member and observer states, along with medical university heads and healthcare experts from across the region, Caliber.Az reports.

In his address, Musayev expressed appreciation for Kazakhstan’s assistance following the 25 December 2024 plane crash near Aktau involving an Azerbaijan Airlines flight.

He praised the swift and professional response of Kazakh medical workers and highlighted the solidarity shown by Kazakhstan as a reflection of strong fraternal ties.

“The support provided by Kazakh colleagues left a lasting impression on the Azerbaijani people,” Musayev said.

The minister also praised the OTS’s growing role in fostering cooperation in healthcare and noted the importance of shared initiatives, including the proposed Unified Medical Scientific Space, harmonisation of medical education standards, and the adoption of digital technologies in healthcare.

Referring to the 2024 adoption of the Common Turkic Alphabet, Musayev underlined the increasing influence of the Organisation, attributing it to shared cultural values and mutual political support.

Other high-level participants included OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev and WHO Europe Regional Director Hans Henri Kluge, both of whom underlined the importance of strengthening healthcare cooperation across the Turkic world.

Kazakhstan’s Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova said she expected the meeting to contribute to deeper collaboration and capacity-building among the participating states.

Health ministers from Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, along with a senior official from Hungary, echoed similar sentiments and reaffirmed support for advancing regional initiatives in healthcare.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Joint Declaration and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Health and Astana Medical University. The next OTS Health Ministers’ Meeting will be held in Kyrgyzstan.

By Aghakazim Guliyev