OREANDA-NEWS. April 7, 2009. World Health Day, the birthday of the World Health Organization – the UN specialized agency, which adopted its charter on April 7, 1948, is widely celebrated in Turkmenistan for the first time. World Health Day is inscribed in the calendar of the national holidays and remarkable dates of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan became a full member of the World Health Organisation in 1992. Since then the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and the WHO Regional Office for Europe carry out the work under the two-year agreements on cooperation. The large-scale joint work done in the country during these years resulted in receiving by Turkmenistan the international certificates for contribution to developing healthcare services. Today these issues are the priorities of the policy of the Turkmen state.

That is proved by heavy investments made by Turkmenistan to apply the best international scientific practices, advanced methods and technologies in the national healthcare system. According to international experts Turkmenistan established the healthcare system meeting the requirements of the World Health Organisation and other international organizations. These includes the modern clinics supplied with up-to-date medical equipment, introduction of telemedicine technologies, development of national medical science, construction of the building of the Medical University, regular study tours of Turkmen specialists to foreign countries, organisation of the conferences and trainings involving international experts, incorporation of the international healthcare management and monitoring standards in the national healthcare system.

Improvement of healthcare infrastructure implies development of resort industry and creation of the Avaza national tourism zone, the conception of which provides for construction of sanatoriums and health-improving centers, yacht clubs, fitness centers, development of ecological tourism, popularization of sports and implementation of the National Programme on Improvement of the Social and Living Conditions in the Villages, Settlements, Towns in the Etraps and Etrap Centres till 2020. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes that Turkmenistan’s policy and approaches to developing medicine were closely interrelated with the national social policy based on the concern for an individual. The Turkmen leader says that Turkmenistan will spare no resources and efforts to achieve the designated goals and focuses on the need to introduce the high standards at all levels of education starting from kindergartens and schools. Only after we make physical culture popular we will be able to train world-class sportsmen.

The Turkmen society is aware of significance of sports and physical culture as a means to bring up a physically strong and spiritually rich younger generation. Turkmenistan’s open-door policy and adherence to wide international cooperation, large international sports competitions and participation of Turkmen sportsmen in the Olympic movement create powerful incentives to develop national sports. The Turkmen leader – an ardent supporter and propagandist of sports and healthy lifestyle sets a good example for Turkmen youth.

Dozens of sports facilities built throughout the country in recent years vividly illustrate the state concern for development of sports of high achievements and physical culture. Several stadiums meeting the world standards including the Olympic Water Sports Complex and Ice Palace in Ashgabat, 10-000-seat stadiums in Mary and Turkmenabat were built. In the near future the similar complexes will be built in all the regions of Turkmenistan. The Olympic Village, the grandiose complex that has no analogues in the region, will spring up in Ashgabat. The complex will include 30 sports facilities which will host the national and international competitions in different sports. The programme on development of national sports provides for construction of health-improving centres, sports grounds and swimming pools in Ashgabat and the administrative centers of the velayats as well as at the large-scale industrial enterprises and organisations. To achieve the goals of the National Programme on Improvement of the Social and Living Conditions in the Villages, Settlements, Towns in the Etraps and Etrap Centres till 2020 over 200 sports schools for 75,000 young sportsmen and over 100 sports facilities will be constructed and 70 sports facilities will be reconstructed. All educational and preschool institutions under construction have the gymnasiums supplied with state-of the-art sports equipment, basketball and volleyball grounds, swimming pools, tennis courts, etc. As is well-known the President of Turkmenistan put forward the initiative to develop motor sports in the country. To realize this initiative the international motor sports complex and motordromes will be built in Ashgabat and the regions in the near future and the National Centre for Motor Sports of Turkmenistan was established. The Silk Road-2009 Rally initiated by the Turkmen leader will be held this September.

During this week the sports competitions and events were held at the educational establishments to mark World Health Day. The big sports festival was held at the foothills of the Gindivar Mountain. The sportsmen of the sports clubs of Ashgabat demonstrated their brilliant technique. The national in tae kwon do championships, the competitions in wushu, hockey, track and field athletics and water sports and climbing up the path of health were conducted. During these days the concerts and contests are held throughout the country. The scientific conference on modern achievements of the national healthcare system, cooperation and introduction of advanced medical practices, further development of the national healthcare system was held at the Turkmen State Medical Institute.