UCLG-MEWA is continuing the series of Local Government Talks in 2018. Ali Murat Duman, President of Istanbul Health Platform, became a speaker on Local Governments and Health, within the scope of its activities in the World Health Week.
Organized on 12 April 2018, at UCLG-MEWA Headquarters in Sultanahmet, Istanbul; the program was framed around the SDG 3 on Good Health and Well Being.
Within the context of the World Health Week, UCLG-MEWA also organized a blood donation campaign on 5 April 2018, together with Turkish Red Crescent. Following this campaign, with an aim to approach SDG 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, with a local perspective, UCLG-MEWA organized this Talk to evaluate the health services in local governments.
Highlighting the importance of the recent reforms in the health sector, Mr. Duman talked about the impact of recent reforms in public administration on the relation between local governments and health, the current situation of health services being affected as a result of increasing population with migration in cities, and the need areas of local governments regarding the implementation of SDGs.
With the active participation of the audience, Mr. Duman also underlined that the steps to be taken by local governments on health, will alleviate the workload of the central governments.
Mr. Duman pointed out that the stronger the localization is, the faster the development will be. In the field of health; increasing in localization will also increase the efficiency, he said.
During his speech, he touched upon the importance of education in raising awareness. Within this scope, UCLG-MEWA could provide training for local governments to build awareness, he added on.
Before concluding his speech, Mr. Duman talked about SDG 3 and underscored the importance of UCLG-MEWA’s works for disseminating the SDGs in the region.
At the end of the Talk, Secretary General Mehmet Duman presented a plaque to Ali Murat Duman, in memory of the day. The program ended with the shoot of souvenir photos.