In cooperation with the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services and the Islamic Countries Center for Statistics, Economic and Social Research and Education (SESRIC), a meeting on the impact of Covid 19 on disabled and elderly individuals was held in the OIC member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. One country from each continent spoke at the meeting, and representatives of Guinea, Uganda and Morocco attended, along with Turkey.

 "Sharing knowledge and experience between countries is more important than ever in this process"

 Sesric General Director Nebil DABUR and Orhan KOÇ, Director General of The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services, Disabled and Elderly Services, gave the opening speeches of the meeting.

In his speech, DABUR underlined the need to take special measures for the disabled and elderly, especially when fighting Covid 19, and stated that they have seen countries experience new measures related to this during this period. Addressing the need to make comprehensive international decisions, DABUR also reminded of the strategy documents set out by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Nebil DABUR also stated that awareness and information studies should be carried out especially for disabled and elderly individuals. DABUR pointed to the importance of the meeting, saying that "sharing knowledge and experience between countries is more important than ever in this process".

"We have made a transformation in social services"

Orhan KOÇ, General Manager of Disability and Elderly Services, underlined the importance of information exchange between countries in his speech.  "We have seen how important our sight and beliefs are in these situations. We have given priority to our disabled and elderly," he said. Stating that the services offered to the disabled and elderly are provided with a 'human principle first', a 'universal human rights approach' and a 'family-oriented perspective', KOÇ stressed that they have carried out a transformation in social services.

"Employees in the health sector and social services worked 24/7, renouncing their private lives. I thank them," he said, noting that the teams worked tirelessly in the process without even going home.

Reminding of the negative work in the West, Koç noted that services for the disabled and elderly are prioritized and all services from tests to medicines are provided free of charge. He stated that by strengthening the family with the integrated care system, they continued to provide services during the Covid 19 period by supporting the elderly and disabled in the family, providing day services, and taking those in need of institutional care into the enterprise.

"Our President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN has given priority to services in the field of disabled and elderly people, and declared 2020 the year of accessibility," KOÇ said, adding that an award ceremony will be held with intense participation in this field and they plan to make it international in the future.

At the meeting, SESRIC Research Assistant Cem TİNTİN gave a presentation in detail about the measures taken by OIC member countries and the practices in these countries, while Coskun GÜRBOGA, head of the Department of Aged Care Services, shared in detail the services for the disabled and elderly in Turkey during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Pepe LOUA from Guinea, Anthony Oleja ENYOGU from Uganda and Mohamet Ait AZIZI from Morocco also gave presentations to convey the effects of COVID-19 on the disabled and elderly in their countries and the measures taken in this process.