Erdogan honoured with WHO Europe Award for Türkiye's humanitarian work in Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Award for Türkiye’s humanitarian efforts for Palestinians and its role in facilitating medical evacuations from Gaza.

The award was presented by WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge during the 11th Turkish Medical World Congress in Ankara on Wednesday.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Erdogan criticised the international community’s silence over the destruction of hospitals and the killing of patients, health workers, and infants in Gaza over the past two years.

“It will certainly not be easy for the world to move from a reality where, for two full years, it remained a spectator as hospitals in Gaza were bombed and patients, health workers, children, and even innocent babies in incubators were killed,” he said.

Erdogan added that the world would become “a paradise” the day humanity shares the collective joy of saving a life and celebrates every newborn’s safe arrival as its own happiness.

“This is exactly what we are working for,” he said.

Innovative and realistic efforts

He further said that the health workforce has grown by 288 percent since 2002, and nearly 100,000 new staff, among them more than 57,000 physicians, have been recruited in just the last year and a half.

He added that 80 percent of public hospitals have been renewed or rebuilt, with 794 new hospitals raising public bed capacity to 173,000. Qualified beds have increased from 7,000 in 2002 to 122,000 today, with total capacity expanding from 164,000 to 271,000.

Erdogan also emphasised continued reconstruction in earthquake-hit provinces, where 109 health facilities with more than 5,100 beds have been completed, increasing total capacity from 23,733 to 27,503 beds across 11 provinces.

He stressed the need for Türkiye to advance in scientific research, pharmaceuticals, and medical device production.

“Despite internal and external obstacles, I believe we will achieve in health technologies what we achieved in the defence industry,” he said, adding that Türkiye remains committed to supporting all innovative and realistic efforts that move its health care goals forward.

Turkish Head of Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also commented on the award on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, saying the recognition “serves as a testament to Türkiye’s humanitarian diplomacy shaped by our President’s vision.”

He further stated: “Despite the grave situation in Gaza, the continuation of humanitarian aid, the safe conduct of medical evacuations, and the voicing of the oppressed have been possible through our president’s personal follow-up, will, and leadership. His long-standing humanitarian sensitivity toward the Palestinian issue continues to generate a strong impact both in the region and on international platforms.”

Erdogan said Türkiye has overhauled its health care system in the past 23 years, turning it into a widespread, high-quality, and affordable network serving the entire population.

He noted that the country now delivers first-class services to 86 million people with the support of more than 1.47 million health personnel.