General Manager of Disability and Elderly Services, Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ Dr.  Irshad Ali, Coordinator of the Turkish Health Safety Project, which is acting as the World Health Organization's Representative in Turkey, held a teleconference about the new Coronavirus Prevention Measures  and Combat Methods taken by the institution during the COVID-19 pandemia process

Dr. Irshad Ali SHAIKH from WHO, as well as Dr. Toker ERGÜDER, Başak ŞENTÜRK MARGET and Elif Görkem ASLANTÜRK, General Manager on behalf of The General Directorate of Disability and Elderly Services, said Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ, Deputy General Managers, Heads of Departments and Experts attended to the meeeting.

"In order to prevent the spread of the virus in organizations, measures were needed, especially for disabled and elderly and staff, and the measures taken were updated according to the course of the process and implemented effectively and quickly," Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ said.

Working with Integrated Health and Care System Philosophy

Health/care services are widened for disabled and elderly people who need support in daily activities such as personal care, and psychological support is offered by central employees against burnout situations that occur over time.

Integrated Health and Care System Service Models; it is an integrated system that includes service models such as critical care, palliative care, home care, day care, corporate care, spiritual care, volunteering.

The implementation of all these service models reduces our need for corporate maintenance. These service models provide the quality, quality of maintenance services and their financial sustainability."

KOÇ, temporary guest application, disabled and elderly, in accordance with the wishes of families in organizations for up to 45 days free guests, he said.

Addition, every disabled and elderly person who needs health care at home is taken to health services, all examinations and treatments are done free of charge, irregular migrants and Syrian asylum seekers in our country benefit from these practices free of charge, he said.

Nursing homes and elderly rehabilitation centers under the ministry received a total of 27500 elderly care and health services, as well as 152 homes of hope except 104 Unhindered Living Centers, he said.

Total of 28010 people were served here, all disabled people were paid allowances and all health expenses were covered by the state.

65 years and older are served according to World Health Organization criteria

General Manager of Disability and Elderly Services,Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ, according to the criteria of the UN and World Health Organization in our country defined as elderly individuals aged 65 years and older, adopted a holistic health/care system approach, within this framework they implemented the integrated health/care system as a critical care and palliative care phase, Disabled and elderly care centers and health care facilities, there are no disruptions in service delivery, organizations are complete health equipment, covid-19 epidemic process compared to other countries, outbreaks are very important hospital services and treatment capacity, in our country, hospital beds and especially adult intensive care beds are in very good condition in terms of the number of beds and quality of service compared to European countries, the knowledge that their achievements are caused by integrated health and care service application, Shared with The WHO Country Office in Turkey.

Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ, the first case in Turkey shortly after the official announcement of all provincial directorates, to fight the epidemic quickly and effectively covid-19 Crisis Desk was created, he said.

"Coronavirus Information Guide 1 and 2 for Our Organizations" has been published by the General Directorate of Disability and Elderly Services to protect the health and safety of those who served during the COVID-19 outbreak.

protective equipment is adequate and physical environment is constantly disinfected in our organizations.

General Director of Disability and Elderly Services, Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ, "In all our organizations, instant monitoring of personal protective equipment and disinfectant products is carried out. Through the Family Information System, a module has been created that follows all the needs and stocks of organizations."

Who has been briefed chronologically with the World Health Organization Turkey Representative and other officials about preventive and preventive measures taken. Exp. Dr. Orhan KOÇ, added;

 Starting january 7, we have created the infrastructure for the taking of preventive and preventive measures with the official letter forwarded to the Provincial Directorates. At the same time, we have instructed our Organizations for health screening (eye, ear, nose, throat, mouth and dental health).

February 28, we have limited all visits to organizations serving disabled and elderly people, first to include only family members, and then for mandatory reasons.

Disabled and elderly relatives who came to visit for mandatory reasons, in a controlled manner, disinfectant, mask, social distance, such as measures to carry out the negotiations.

The medical staff working in the organizations were assigned to scan visitors and monitor symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Incoming visitors were checked to fire before entering the organization.

The staff were checked to see if there was any fever at each entrance and exit to the institution and if there were any problems with the respiratory tract.

Staff working in organizations, disabled people and the elderly were informed about the necessary measures such as hand washing, wearing masks, social distance protection to protect them from COVID-19.

In all organizations, information posters prepared by the Ministry of Health about the ways of protection from COVID-19 and what to do were hung.

Fever tracking of disabled people and elderly people staying in organizations was done 4 times a day 6 hours apart, food supplements to strengthen their immunity were followed.

We have disinfected all of our organizations, we continue to disinfect them at frequent periodically. In our organizations, we have taken the necessary measures to ensure that hand cleaning (such as soap) materials and hand and surface disinfectants are not missing.

Disabled people and elderly people returning from abroad (Umrah, etc.), we have allowed them to undergo a 14-day quarantine process at a specially equipped home-type social service organization if their families are not with them.

After March 10, we banned new admissions and exits to our organizations and prevented transmission routes.

In cities where cases such as Istanbul and Izmir spread rapidly, measures were taken by following the health status and transmission stories of the personnel and their families working in cities.

Taking into account the risks, we have created isolation rooms, floors and independent isolation organizations in all our organizations. As a result of their treatment, we have taken our sick residents to the quarantine facilities that we have created for 14 days.

In addition to all measures taken by the staff, 7-10 days of fixed shift seisis has been instructed from March 26. At the point of early diagnosis and start treatment, we instructed the staff to undergo screening with PCR method for shift changes.

On April 10, we began screening tests for personnel who would enter all our organizations. We've made it mandatory to run pre-shift tests and minimize the risks. On April 14, we decided to take the shift system, which was previously designated as 7-10 days, to 14 days.

It is important that the treatment processes have started early and are being done in hospitals. Even though they're sick in other countries, they have an understanding of staying in nursing homes, on the contarary  they need to be treated in the hospital in Turkey.

WHO Representative in Turkey: Turkey is an example to the world with measures taken in nursing homes and care facilities.

World Health Organization Turkey Representative Dr. Irshad Ali SHAIKH, the measures taken and the policy followed expressed very impressive.

SHAIKH thanked to the Turkish authorities for their sensitivity to the frequent use and prevalence of the measures taken and the tests.

Stressing that Turkey should be an example to the world, Dr. Irshad Ali SHAIKH, The World Health Organization's Representative in Turkey, stressed that at the same time, turkey decided to publish the measures taken by the organizations within the WHO by making it a publication.

World Health Organization Turkey Representative Dr. Irshad Ali SHAIKH and other executives have provided a very successful service to the General Directorate of Disability and Elderly Services, they sincerely appreciate these services, and that the regular and established and integrated health system in Turkey has achieved significant achievements in the fight against COVID-19, said and conveyed his thanks to KOÇ.