March 14th Commemoration Program Held at PAU
Pamukkale University (PAU) and PAU Hospitals organized a 'March 14 Memorial Program' for the citizens and healthcare workers who lost their lives in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake on February 6, 2023.
Mayor of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality Osman Zolan, Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kutluhan, Pamukkale District Governor Uğur Bulut, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander J. Col. Veysel Yanık, Pamukkale Mayor Avni Örki, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Necip Atar, Prof. Dr. M. Ensar Yeşilyurt, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Osman İsmail Özdel, Chief Physician of PAU Hospitals Prof. Dr. Murat Özban, provincial protocol members, deans, administrative and academic staff of PAU, guests and students participated in the event. Denizli Governor Ali Fuat Atik, who was appointed as the Coordinating Governor of Hatay, connected to the program via video link and congratulated the physicians on March 14th Medical Day.
After the moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, the program continued with the video screening of the earthquake support activities carried out by Pamukkale University. After the video screening, the program continued with opening speeches.
The first of the opening speeches was delivered by Prof. Dr. Fazıl Necdet Ardıç, President of Denizli Medical Chamber and faculty member of Pamukkale University. Prof. Dr. Ardıç expressed the following in his speech: "Being a good medical doctor depends on knowledge and freedom. It has been like this for thousands of years. It will be like this from now on. Our Medical Day tradition, which started with rebellion, has turned into a commemoration program mainly due to the earthquake disaster our country has experienced today. We lost nearly 100 of our colleagues in this disaster and we remember them all with pain. Doctors working in Denizli immediately rushed to help, either by assignment or on their own initiative. Those who stayed here made material and moral sacrifices to provide and deliver the missing medical supplies. I congratulate the medical day of all physicians who work sacrificially by enduring difficult conditions in Denizli as in every region of our country, wishing the young candidates in the hall to continue their profession in a brighter future."
Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Özban: "Our hospital has contributed greatly to the meticulous control and management of the process under the most difficult conditions in the earthquake zone, especially in the center of Antakya, with 3 separate teams formed from the first day."
The opening speeches continued with the speech of PAU Hospitals Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Murat Özban. Prof. Dr. Özban: "In the aftermath of a major disaster, we are experiencing one of the special days when we can all be together in these difficult days of indescribable suffering. On this day, which is impossible to celebrate as a holiday, we are together to share our pain and commemorate our losses. In the earthquake, we lost many doctors, nurses, caregivers and health officers. Many others were rescued with injuries. Unfortunately, we are in a great effort to maintain health services in the earthquake zone and in the whole country, especially in the neighboring provinces where they were transferred, with the field hospitals established after our hospitals were damaged and could not operate. Our hospital has contributed greatly to the meticulous control and management of the process under the most difficult conditions in the earthquake zone, especially in the center of Antakya, with 3 separate teams formed from the first day. I would like to thank our team in your presence. However, the saying 'fire burns where it falls' has once again come true. We have all tried to do our best and we continue to do so. We have provided trained personnel and material assistance in line with the requests received, and we continue to do so. However, all my friends who served in the midst of the fire, despite losing their first-degree relatives, are the true heroes of this process and will never be forgotten. As I conclude my speech, I wish God's mercy to our doctors, nurses, nursing staff, health officers and all citizens who lost their lives, and a speedy recovery to those who were injured. My condolences to our country."
