Turkey launches nationwide public health and addiction prevention initiatives

During Public Health Week, Turkey's Ministry of Health and various municipalities have launched initiatives to combat addiction and promote preventive care. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu reported that over 1.5 million citizens have received free medication support to quit smoking. The Ministry's efforts include 1,678 smoking cessation clinics providing counseling to over 376,000 people, as well as 24/7 support via the ALO 171 and ALO 191 helplines.

Local governments are also active in community outreach. In Ankara, the Metropolitan Municipality organized health festivals in Ulus 100. Yıl Park, offering free screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cancer awareness in collaboration with various medical foundations. In Izmir, the municipality has expanded preventive services across 30 districts, providing health education to over 13,000 citizens and supporting maternal and child health through projects like İzmir95.

Individual success stories highlight the impact of these services. Yasin Akgeyik, a 52-year-old civil servant, successfully quit a 35-year smoking habit after receiving treatment at a local health center, motivated by both health concerns and comments from his grandchild.