Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay stated that uninterrupted and healthy access to medicine is crucial during natural disasters, adding that pharmacies, which are the most important links in the drug supply chain, suffered severe damage in the earthquake regions. Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay announced that 25 field pharmacies have been established in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep, Adıyaman, Şanlıurfa, and Malatya, which were affected by the earthquake, providing free medicine and medical supplies. Uzbay also underlined that new field pharmacies will be opened if needed and announced that chronic medications are being provided to applicants after verifying their status via their Turkish ID numbers.
New field pharmacies to be opened if needed
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay, Head of the Department of Internal Medical Sciences at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Medicine, who continues his work in Ankara as part of his duty in the Central Board of the Turkish Pharmacists' Association following the earthquake, stated that 25 field pharmacies have been established to provide free medicine to earthquake victims affected by the disaster and in need of medication.
Drug supply chain severely damaged
Emphasizing that one of the critical issues in such natural disasters is ensuring healthy and uninterrupted access to medicine, Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay said, “Both the rapid and effective treatment of the injured who survived and the ability of survivors to access the medications they constantly use or will need are of vital importance. This is a very large-scale disaster, affecting approximately 13-14 million people in 10 provinces. In Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Gaziantep, and Kilis, pharmacies and pharmacists, the most important links in the drug supply chain, also suffered severe damage. In some of these provinces, access to medicine suddenly ceased, and in others, it was largely disrupted. This is because pharmacies were destroyed, and pharmacists lost their lives or were trapped under the rubble. In Adıyaman, we lost the Head of the Chamber of Pharmacists, Pharmacist Hüseyin Kemal Taş, along with his family.”
Pharmacy services must be re-established
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay pointed out that pharmacy services have ceased in many provinces and districts in the earthquake zone, and continued his words as follows:
“Failure to provide access to medicine is also of great importance for patients who survived but are obligated to use chronic medication. For example, for someone with diabetes who is insulin-dependent, inability to access their medicine is fatal. Similarly, for patients with high blood pressure, epilepsy, thyroid conditions, and other chronic illnesses who must use medication constantly, lack of access to medicine can lead to permanent and serious health problems, and even death. This is also a very important point as it can lead to indirect losses among survivors. On the other hand, for the treatment of those rescued injured from the rubble or those injured during the earthquake, surgical materials, especially anesthetic drugs and various serums, must be sufficient and accessible. Access to medicine and the re-establishment of pharmacy services are of great importance for healing the wounds after the earthquake and increasing survival rates.”
Field pharmacies established at many points
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay stated that the Turkish Pharmacists' Association (TEB), with its 54 pharmacists' chambers spread across the country, is a strong and experienced non-governmental organization that acts quickly in such disasters. He said, “The Turkish Pharmacists' Association has previously provided significant contributions in terms of both access to medicine and financial support during forest fires, floods, and mining accidents. In this disaster, TEB has also shown a good response so far and continues to do so. Immediately after the earthquake, the TEB Central Board and Supervisory Board convened to quickly assess the situation and implemented its plans for drug access in coordination with the relevant pharmacists' chambers. TEB had a mobile TIR pharmacy for such situations. However, the scale of this disaster is very large. Therefore, not only the mobile TIR pharmacy but also mobile or field pharmacies were established at many points with provided containers.”
Free medicine provided at 25 mobile pharmacies
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay stated that the pharmacies, which set out from the first day of the earthquake, have been established at different points in the earthquake zone and started to provide services. He said, “It is particularly worth noting that the medicines and all kinds of medical supplies provided by these pharmacies are free of charge. As of today, a total of 25 pharmacies are operating: 6 in Kahramanmaraş (two in the center, four in Türkoğlu, Afşin, Pazarcık, and Elbistan), 6 in Hatay (one in the center, two in Defne, and one each in İskenderun, Kırıkhan, and Samandağ), 2 in Gaziantep (in İslahiye and Nurdağı), 4 in Malatya (all at various points in the center), 5 in Adıyaman (three in the center and in the districts of Besni and Gölbaşı), and 2 in Şanlıurfa center. If new ones need to be opened according to demand, additional containers will continue to be supplied. Access to all kinds of medicine is possible from these pharmacies. The status of applicants is verified via their Turkish ID numbers, and necessary chronic medications are provided. Additionally, medication and supply support is provided to standing hospitals and nearby field hospitals.”
TEB continues its uninterrupted operations in disaster areas
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay also stated that pharmacists' chambers in provinces not affected by the earthquake have organized and established field pharmacies with medical supplies and medicines they procured, especially in districts in need, and concluded his words as follows:
“In addition to medicine donations, they collect and deliver clothing, food, and beverages to the region. Volunteer pharmacists continuously go to the region, and volunteers are periodically renewed to keep the strength and service ongoing. As per my duty in the Central Board of the Turkish Pharmacists' Association, I have also arrived in Ankara to support coordination activities from the center. Some of our Central Board and Supervisory Board members are currently managing the coordination of medicine and pharmacy services firsthand at critical points such as Adıyaman, Malatya, Hatay, and Kahramanmaraş. Many of our chamber presidents and board members are also deployed in the earthquake zone. They are working selflessly with cooperation and great harmony to prevent any disruptions in a vital matter like medicine. Our central crisis desk consists of the TEB President, Secretary General, Second President, Treasurer, other members, and TEB employees. They are in close communication with the field. Communication with the Ministry of Health and AFAD is also ongoing. There is currently no concept of working hours here. Everyone is doing their part as we strive to overcome this great disaster with the least possible damage.”