Medical device technologies; It leads the introduction of new technologies into the country in the stages of diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and care necessary for the protection of healthy individuals and regaining health of sick individuals. Leading companies in the industry create enormous added value for the health ecosystem by taking part in improving public health as well as ensuring safe and effective use of devices or educating healthcare professionals on new technologies / procedures.
The epidemic of COVID-19, which affects the whole world; It clearly demonstrated the critical importance of sustainable and strong health systems and stakeholders that ensure these systems work.
long and diagnosis of diseases in order to ensure a healthy life riding the patient in Turkey, treatment, monitoring, management and amelioration used in medical products, technologies, develop related services, manufacturing and medical device manufacturers offering the user, importers and suppliers representing associations incorporating Medical Devices As the Sector Platform and the entire medical device sector, we have put all our possibilities and supports to the service of all health institutions and organizations, especially the Ministry of Health, in the process of combating COVID-19.
Medical device companies we represent; In order to provide uninterrupted service to healthcare providers, it organizes technical service, clinical support and distribution-operation services as well as providing 7/24 services for the continuity of operation in the laboratory, clinical and intensive care units. Despite the force majeure activities in some areas of healthcare institutions and the demand cut in certain product groups accordingly, our sector is going through a challenging period in which it provides extraordinary service in order to respond to the increasingly high demand in other certain product groups.
Our country, which is largely dependent on abroad in the supply of medical consumables and medical devices, was negatively affected by the recent developments in the supply chain. In addition to the pandemic caused by the export restrictions imposed on protective equipment by the EU, the different logistic problems brought to Turkey for medical devices it is also taking place. Freight charges are another factor that increases the costs of our industry in this period. Increasing checks at customs gates, and quarantine practices initiated during the transition from one country to another against the risk of drivers being virus carriers cause disruptions in all logistics services, especially in road transportation. Normally, shipping by ship or by road has shifted to airline transportation in order to avoid these disruptions and the urgent need for products. However, it is seen that the air transport charges increased 3-5 times compared to the pre-epidemic. The supply of some medical supplies, raw materials or spare parts has become extremely difficult due to the fact that THY limits the number of cargo planes. Especially in this period, the rapid increase of the THY aircraft cargo fleet, and the 3-5 times increase in cargo prices will be stopped, and prices will be reduced before the crisis.
The medical device industry, which imports raw materials and final products to continue product supply and production, has been adversely affected by the increasing exchange rates in this difficult period and continues to be affected. Our sector has to make purchases at higher prices every time, while the tender and contracted sales prices, which it cannot change domestically, are fixed. In addition, due to the insufficient supply and uncertainties experienced in the changing supply conditions of the last period, requests for cash payment started to come from abroad, which can be procured with a forward payment, at the stage of order and shipment.
One of the biggest obstacles to the continuity of healthcare services during the pandemic process of the medical device sector is the uncertainty in the payment terms of medical devices purchased by public and university hospitals. Both this uncertainty in payment and the gradual decline in access to financial resources put the medical device industry in need of support most of the time, in an insurmountable bottleneck. Therefore, for a sustainable health ecosystem, the financial burden of the sector is becoming very important and a regular payment system is needed. We need support to ease the financial burden we are experiencing while trying to ensure the continuity of service in this difficult period that our country passes with our staff working with sacrifice in the field during this period.
While our sector continues its product and service investments in our country, it undertakes many financial burdens with its responsibility and sensitivity in difficult times and acts with all stakeholder institutions.
Despite all these adverse conditions, the medical device industry continues to make every effort to ensure that patients benefit from a more comfortable and high standard of healthcare and the sustainability of the health ecosystem.
Nevertheless, it was disappointing that the medical device sector was not included within the scope of the Economic Stability Shield measures announced, and that the difficult conditions of our sector, which were considered strategically and supported worldwide, were ignored in our country. Since all sectors are adversely affected by the current state of the economy, we think that there should be no sector distinction within the scope of this communiqué, and that our sector needs this support due to the extraordinary period and financial difficulties experienced.
On this occasion, we would like to state that, as the Medical Device Sector Platform, we have shown maximum care and care in order not to be affected by public health, and we will continue to work for the safety of patients and healthcare workers and the sustainability of the health system by providing all necessary support in the diagnosis and treatment processes of COVID-19.
Turkey's Covidien-19 with the knowledge needed to be successful in the fight, he thinks that he has the experience and resources; We believe that we will overcome this virus thanks to medical science, medical technologies, healthcare professionals and our strategic and disciplined action plan implemented by our government.
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