Cross-border cooperation in health: Mongolia team trained in Türkiye
Another phase of the “Türkiye / Mongolia Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Training and Support Project” carried out with the support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) was completed at Medicalpark Bahçelievler Hospital.
Within the framework of the Türkiye / Mongolia Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Training and Support Project, two doctors and two nurses assigned by the Ministry of Health of Mongolia successfully completed a month-long comprehensive training at the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of Medicalpark Bahçelievler Hospital. During this period, healthcare staff gained valuable experience by closely observing and actively participating in bone marrow transplantation procedures, patient selection, transplantation process and post-transplant follow-up phases.
International contacts and project initiation
The foundations of the project were laid in March 2025 during the visit of the Medicalpark delegation headed by Prof. Dr. Tunç Fışgın to Mongolia. The delegation met with officials from the Mongolian Ministry of Health, the Mongolian Parliament, the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Mongolia, the TIKA Mongolia Office and the Ulaanbaatar 1st State Hospital to discuss opportunities for cooperation in pediatric bone marrow transplantation and training of healthcare personnel. Upon his return to Türkiye, the project was officially launched as a result of the work carried out with the TIKA Presidency.
Training program and closing ceremony
At the closing ceremony held after the completion of the training, Mongolian health personnel expressed their gratitude to Altınbaş University, Medicalpark and TIKA, stating that they benefited from the training at a high level.
Necla Demirdağ, representative of TIKA Presidency, emphasized that TIKA has carried out many successful projects in Mongolia and that this project will make an important contribution especially in the field of child health.
Özcan Güzel, General Manager of Medicalpark Bahçelievler Hospital, expressed their satisfaction for taking part in the project and said, “We are happy to spread the vision of ‘Health for All’ adopted by our group at the international level.”
Project coordinator Prof. Dr. Tunç Fışgın stated that they aim to perform the first child bone marrow transplant in Mongolia in 2025 with the trained Mongolian healthcare personnel. Fışgın stated that this project is just the beginning, and that the increase in the number of transplants in Mongolia will contribute to the provision of sustainable health services.
The ceremony ended with the presentation of certificates of participation and plaques of appreciation.