The Ministry of Health Protection and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan held the conference dedicated to the elections of our country to the Executive Council of the World Food Programme for 2020 2022, the UN Commission on Population and Development for 2020 2024 and the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs for 2020 2023.
National experience gained in these directions of the implementation of integrated social policy of Turkmenistan, expansion of this practice and coming objectives related to the membership in the above-mentioned authorities, perspectives of further cooperation in the world arena for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been reviewed at the conference.
Scientists, specialists, lecturers and students of the State Medical University of Turkmenistan, representatives of international organizations and other took part in the meeting.It was mentioned that election of Turkmenistan to the above-mentioned structures of the UN indicates the attention in the world community to success and achievements of the policy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in provision of food security of the state, development of health protection and medical and demographic processes, assertion of the principles of healthy life style among the population and organization of efficient combating against illegal drug trafficking.
Practice of Turkmenistan in the sphere of food security, improvement of the composition and structure of food and enrichment of some food products with necessary medical additives received high appraisal.
In particular, all domestic and imported food products are tested for quality and safety in special laboratories with further attestation and accreditation.Certification, state sanitary and epidemiological monitoring is carried out on proper level.
In 2012, Turkmenistan became a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commisson working under the aegis of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization for protection of consumers’ health and support of due practice of food production trade.
Great attention is paid to the cooperation with the UN in planning of family and protection of mother and child health especially teenagers.Strengthening of scientific and legal base of health protection sphere, development of medicine on all level in the cities and rural areas according to the principles of the WHO, all these are the features of the state policy in health protection sphere the policy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Academic of the Academy of Science of Turkmenistan, Doctor of Medical and Economic Science, Professor, Honoured Academic, Professor and Doctor of number of foreign universities, institutes, international academies and scientific centres.
Having developed the state strategy aimed at maximum efficiency from the system of social, economic and medical activities aimed at the improvement of health level of the population, provision of constitutional rights of people for health protection, the Head of Turkmenistan has implemented wide approach to health protection subjects.
It is based on strategic vision of perspectives in human potential development including in demographic aspect.Turkmenistan has implemented number of important programme in reproductive health pursuing targeted demographic policy, which provides the best conditions for protection of maternity and childhood.
National strategy of improvement of services for protection of mothers, new-borns, children and teenagers as one of priority directions of the policy in health protection sphere is implemented steadily.
Quality of medical services is growing un this sphere according to National Programme “Safe Maternity”.It is necessary to note that Turkmenistan was the first among the CIS countries to adopt National Strategy of reproductive health.
Joint conferences for family planning and reproductive health are held under the partnership with the UN; profile departments have been opened in all regions of the country.For 20 years, the Ministry of Health Protection and Medical Industry successfully cooperates with the UN Department for Drugs and Crime, under which the programme of national and regional level have been implemented and are continued.
It was mentioned that the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN members in September 2015 represent the main component of 2030 Agenda on global level.Turkmenistan became one of the first countries in the world, which started the consultations on adaptation of the SDGs.
The Government of Turkmenistan officially adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 148 objectives and 187 indicators on September 20, 2016.The Roadmap for achievement of the SDGs has been developed for fulfilment of the obligations undertaken by the state.
The Head of the State directs preventive work of the Ministry of Health Protection and Medical Industry to the creation of comprehensive preventive system and active cooperation with the UN agencies for complete implementation of the plan for achievement of Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
This joint activity is built on three main directions propaganda of healthy life style among the youth via sports, prevention of consumption of psychoactive substances through educational programmes for improvement of educational knowledges of parents (“School and Family Together, Strong family) and improvement of availability of qualified medical aid.
The measures have also been taken on legislation level.The Laws on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Precursors and Measures to Prevent Illegal Trafficking”, on Protection of Citizens against Tobacco Smoke and the Consequences of the Use of Tobacco Products, on Prevention of Harmful Impact of Alcohol and other are in force in the country.
Action Plans for combating against illegal drug and other psychoactive substances trafficking as well as for assistance to drug addicted people, wide assertion of healthy life style and provision of safety of healthy society are designated for 2016 - 2020.
It is symbolical that election of Turkmenistan to the UN structures, which coordinate global cooperation in food, population and combating drug threat spheres, has happened in the year, which is held under slogan “Turkmenistan Home of Prosperity” in our country as prosperity is based on healthy society, its safety and powerful state, which provides social protection in all main parameters, steadfast enhancement of life level and quality of the nation.
At the same time, this is another sign of growing international authority of our state.President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlights that Turkmenistan would continue fulfilling this responsible mission in the United Nations, comprehensively supporting the activation of constructive international cooperation, having sent its peace-making and creative potential to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.