The 3rd Global Healthcare Travel Forum & 5th Annual General Assembly Meeting

22-24 April 2019 - Baku – Azerbaijan

Press Release

The 3rd Global Healthcare Travel Forum and the 5th Assembly of Global Healthcare Travel Council successfully convened on 23 April 2019 - in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event was officially supported by Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency, as well as by the Association of Health, Thermal Tourism of Azerbaijan and the Association of Azerbaijani Entrepreneurs.  was convened on 23 April 2019 - in Baku, Azerbaijan

Health tourism is developing everywhere and becomes a global trend in the modern industry. One of the main distinctions of this type of tourism is that it doesn't depend on the season and is always available. The forum was held under the motto "Global Health for All."

 

The delegates from more than 20 countries – the member of GHTC attended to 3rd Forum and Health Tourism Exhibition. More than 150 top managers of healthcare sector, leading experts and famous scientists mostly from Azerbaijan which develop the tourism industry and business were attended the Forum.

The 3rd GHTF- Baku was organized to gather prominent leaders and pioneers from public and private health and travel sectors;  the platform had been created for regional and global exchange of knowledge and expertise in healthcare and travel experiences. The delegates  of the Forum discussed strategic issues and challenges in worldwide  medical tourism.

The well-known International speakers, such as Mr. Emin Cakmak (the Honorary and Founding Chairman of  GHTC also Chairman of Turkish Healthcare Travel Council), Dr. Miljenko Bura (Croatian Medical Travel Association), Dr. Violetta Yanyshevska (Chairman of Ukrainian Association of Medical Tourism), Mr. Lutz Lungwitz (German Medical Wellness Association) exchanged their knowledge during panel discussion which moderated Mr. Yunus Gurkan (GHTC- Supervisory Board President, Turkey).

 

2019 Annual General Assembly Meeting

Mr. Jeyhun Ashurov – Secretary General (Azerbaijan) has opened the General Assembly. Welcoming speeches were from Mr. Ruslan Guliyev (the 4th President / Azerbaijan), Mr. Emin Çakmak (Founder and Honorary Chairman / Turkey), Mr. Yunus Gurkan (Supervisory Board President / Turkey).

Announcements

Mr. Jeyhun Ashurov - Secretary General (Azerbaijan) represented: ● the General Assembly Meeting Folder and Documents ● The Assessment and Rating System and Award Scheme ● The Antalya Declaration (with brief reference to the Dubai and Amman Declaration) ● Briefly about the GHTC ( an Executive Brief) ● White Paper – on the Specific Actions now set in motion ● Projected Concerted Action Initiatives for 2019-2020.

 

The GHTC Forum 2019 Baku Declaration

The Baku Declaration announced during the Global Healthcare Travel Council Annual 3rd Forum on April 23rd  2019, confirming the organization’s previous declarations, states Common Cooperation and Collaboration of Health Tourism sectors as one of the main aims of the Global Healthcare.

The 3rd Global Healthcare Travel Forum in Baku, declaring “Health Tourism as an attractive Lifestyle Choice For All”, in the aim of the development and revitalization of Global Healthcare Travel Council`s activities, defines the following tasks:

  • Establish real cooperation and support the leading role between “Healthcare” and “Tourism” in the field of Global Healthcare Travel Council, developing and adopting the mechanism and tactical approach of this cooperation;
  • Set innovations, international standards and adopt high quality service opportunities in healthcare tourism;
  • Determine international infrastructure requirements of the health tourism and proposals on the application of new technologies;
  • Implement the best practice of legal aspects and observe legitimate regulations of the GHTC member countries;
  • Develop the joint action mechanism, mutual cooperation initiatives and working procedures of healthcare and tourism potential within the framework of the GHTC;
  • Prepare the Global Healthcare Travel Council’s marketing and management strategy and exchange the experience for health and tourism collaboration between member countries of GHTC;
  • Baku Declaration, produced foundational innovations of GHTC and validate “Healthcare Tourism” best practices, for World level branded Healthcare Tourism institutions.

Elections

During the 5th GHTC Annual General Assembly Meeting, the following members, having been nominated prior to the meeting, were duly elected to the position of the GHTC President indicated:

  • Miljenko Bura (Croatia)
  • Violetta Yanyshevska (Ukraine).

Appointments

The General Assembly appointed the following to the positions indicated:

  • GHTC President – Violetta Yanyshevska - Ukraine
  • Secretary General – Igor Torsky – Ukraine

 

Vice President Countries

  • Vice President- Mr. Jeyhun Ashurov- Azerbaijan
  • Vice President- Dr. Jia Xiao Fang- China
  • Vice President- Mr. Bura Miljenko - Croatia
  • Vice President- Mr. Lutz Lungwitz – Germany
  • Vice President- Dr. Alekh Sharma - India
  • Vice President- Mr. Samer Al Khuffash- Jordan
  • Vice President- Ms. Saulesh Kalenova - Kazakhstan
  • Vice President- Dr. Ahmet Savasan – N. Cyprus

 

Supervisory Board of GHTC

  • President – Mr. Yunus Gurkan- Turkey

 

The delegates of 5th Assembly  decided to step up activity and increase the role of GHTC on Global Healthcare travel market.  The delegates also stressed the importance of ethical aspects in medical tourism, the availability of medical services for country members; the need to share medical experience, innovation in medicine, investment projects, education programs for medical & health tourism players.