“128 countries requested medical supplies from Turkey in form of grants, export permits, or purchases”

 

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke at a televised interview.

Some two-thirds of the nations of the world have requested medical supplies from Turkey to fight coronavirus, and nearly half of these requests were met, said Turkey’s foreign minister on Wednesday.

A total of 128 countries have requested medical supplies from Turkey in the form of grants, export permits, or purchases, said Mevlut Çavuşoğlu.

Underlining that nearly 64 countries have received medical supplies from Turkey, Çavuşoğlu said he recently spoke to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on how to meet Paraguay’s request for medical supplies. 

The huge number of medical supply requests from around the world “shows that Turkey is a reliable source and a true friend," Cavusoglu added. 

Pointing to Turkey’s strong healthcare system, Cavusoglu said the country is sharing its experience in dealing with the pandemic with the rest of the world. 

"In this respect, the World Health Organization (WHO), the international community and other countries including the US are pointing to Turkey as a model country," Cavusoglu said, adding that the medical aid it delivers will brand Turkey as a reliable source. 

He further stressed that now is not the time to criticize the WHO or similar organizations as the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to impact thousands of people across the world every day. 

"This isn’t the time to criticize international organizations, especially the WHO. We should make maximum use of these institutions and support them," Çavuşoğlu said.