The TÜBA Symposium on Problems Experienced Concerning Coordination Between Stakeholders During Cancer Treatment Took Place
The symposium titled “Problems Experienced Concerning Coordination Between Stakeholders During Cancer Treatment”, which was organized by the TÜBA Cancer Work Group on December 19, 2014, took place at the Ankara Hilton Hotel with the participation of the Ministry of Health Assistant Advisor Prof. Dr. İrfan Şencan, TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar and concerned organization and institution representatives.
TÜBA organized the symposium titled “Problems Experienced Concerning Coordination Between Stakeholders During Cancer Treatment” to determine the problems experienced during cancer treatment, create suggestions for improvement and thereby contribute to the health policy of Turkey.
In the opening speech by TÜBA Principle Member and Cancer Work Group Executive Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer, he said he would be explaining the subject and objectives of the cancer symposium and pointed out that a country’s health system and applications are like a live organism. Pointing out that every country has problems in their health policies, Prof. Demirer said there is no country that is perfect on this subject but everyone is working to improve quality in the basic health services and applications and added the following:
‘The Effects of the Transformation in Health Project
In the Transformation in Health Project, which was started in 2002; reducing VAT to 8%, transferring SSK Hospitals to the Ministry of Health, enabling holders of SSK, Retirement Fund and Green Cards to be able to use any pharmacy for their health needs, making it possible for them to apply to any health institution, gathering all insurance organizations under a single and modern SGK (Social Security Agency), issuing a TR number to all citizens and especially taking the average of the two European countries with the lowest pharmaceutical prices as the basis in pricing pharmaceuticals has seriously brought down the price of pharmaceuticals and provided our country with savings.
The rapid modernizing of Turkey in terms of the infrastructure and personnel of health institutions, supporting and clearing the way for innovation treatments like in-vitro fertilization, organ and tissue transplants, TÜBİTAK’s implementation of large appeal programs concerning health in recent years, significant ground being covered in stem cell organ transplant treatments and many other innovations have earned Turkey much admiration in the world.
Every year 98,000 men and 63,000 women are diagnosed with cancer in Turkey
Respiratory system diseases take first place among the reasons for death in Turkey. Cancer is in second place as a cause of death and lung cancer and prostate cancer take first place under this category while bladder cancer and colorectal cancer follow closely in second place. Having changed our eating habits in the past 15 years with a tendency for fast food has caused colon cancer to become more widespread. Breast cancer and thyroid cancer are among the most common types of cancer among women. About 98,000 men and 63,000 women are diagnosed with cancer every year in our country. These statistics have been recorded meticulously especially over the past 10 years. This is very important for us because now we are no longer dependant on American data”.
In the speech which he started by thanking all participants, TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar said that “as an Academy we especially consider raising awareness for new, important and priority study groups like stem cell, cancer, environment and sustainability with the recently decided inclusion of the Genome Study Group; congregating stakeholders in the scientific and application field concerning these issues and creating policy recommendations as part of their responsibilities. Therefore I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the society for the three successful meetings we held under the leadership of our health members and non-member scientists on the subject of cancer and stem cells. I believe that very important contributions that will be a benefit to Turkey’s policies will be generated from this”.
TÜBA Chairman Prof. Dr. Acar also said “In addition to the newly formed Genome Study Group we have also formed a Food and Nutrition Study Group. In future months we plan to organize scientific event on the ‘Food, Nutrition and Cancer’ connection.”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Yılmaz, who took the floor in representation of YÖK (Higher Education Board) greeted the audience, expressed his wishes for a productive meeting and congratulated TÜBA and the TÜBA Study Groups and wished for the continuation of their success.
Ministry of Health Assistant Advisor Prof. Dr. İrfan Şencan said “The problem of coordination is also an important problem that I have been facing for the past 5-6 years as a name involved in bureaucracy. I hope this meeting will contribute to patients getting better services and assure you that we will do everything in our power to carry out any responsibilities that fall on us as a result”.
After the opening speeches the symposium’s scientific program was started with the presentation by Prof. Dr. Celaletdin Camcı titled “Problems Experienced by Adult Cancer Physicians” and TÜBA Principle Member Prof. Dr. Bülent Zülfikar titled ‘Problems Experienced by Pediatric Cancer Physicians’ in the session led by TÜBA Principle Member Prof. Dr. Mustafa Solak, the presentations of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özet and Salih Yüce titled ‘The Problems that Patients Experience from the Physician’s Point of View’ in the session led by TÜBA Principle Member Prof. Dr. Dilek Dinçol; the presentations of the Turkish Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Organization Chairman Dr. Saim Kerman titled “Problems Experienced in the Licensing of Pharmaceuticals” and AİFD Assistant General Secretary Dr. Hasan Bağcı titled “The Problems that are Experienced in Coordination from the Pharmaceutics Sector Point of View” in the session led by TÜBA Principle Member Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer; the presentation by SGK General Health Insurance Assistant General Manager Specialist Dr. Cemil Gül titled “The Problems Experienced by the SGK Organization in Coordination” in the session led by Prof. Dr. Serdar Özkök; the presentation by the Health Services General manager Prof. Dr. Doğan Ünal titled “The Problems Experienced by the Ministry of Health in Coordination” in the session led by Prof. Dr. Nurullah Zengin and the presentation of Assoc. Dr. Murat Gültekin titled ‘The Past Present and Future of Cancer Records’ in the session led by Prof. Dr. Tezer Kutluk.
The symposium, which consisted of six sessions, was concluded with a closing speech by Prof. Dr. Taner Demirer.
