23 November 2021 16:21

Training sessions have been held for public relations representatives of state medical facilities

Training sessions were held for public relations representatives of state medical facilities supervised by TABIB on November 22^nd to 23^rd 2021, jointly organized by the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance (Agency) and the Administration of Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB), and with the technical and financial support of the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The purpose of the training was to increase the knowledge and skills of public relations representatives to build effective communications and public relations between medical facilities and the mass media and to improve such relations.

Making the opening speech at the training, Ruslan Abdullayev, Head of the International Relations Department of the Agency, said that the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens all mankind, had made public health a major priority in modern times. The role of public relations specialists had significantly increased, and today they carried out more important and responsible duties.

Speaking at the event, Rashad Huseynov, Representative of the UN Department of Global Communications in Azerbaijan, Halil Ibrahim Durak, WHO Expert on Public Health and Medical Education in Azerbaijan, and Tural Gulu, Project Manager of the Solidarity Initiative for Health, greeted the participants and called on them to take an active part in the training. Speaking about the importance of creating a staff unit of public relations specialists in medical facilities, the speakers said that the timely and complete provision of public health information was an important step in preventing the spread of misinformation. In this sense, the participants had an important role to play. It was added that the training was the best opportunity to bring together newly recruited employees of various health facilities, for building their network in the future, and sharing their knowledge and experience.

The event was attended by more than 74 employees of 65 health facilities operating in Baku and the regions. The training covered the following topics: public awareness, answering media inquiries, public relations management and accountability, legislation on media and information, cooperation with the media during the COVID-19 pandemic, etc.

Fanara Bunyadzadeh, Risk Communication Specialist of the WHO Office in Azerbaijan, Aynura Ahmadova, Head of the Public Relations and Marketing Department of the Agency, Ilhama Musayeva, Head of the Public Relations Division of the same Department, Aygun Aliyeva, Head of the Public Relations and Appeals Department of TABIB, Shafag Mehraliyeva, a teacher at the Institute of Public and International Relations of ADA University, and Alasgar Mammadli, a media lawyer were the trainers at the events.

It should be noted that as part of the reforms implemented to adapt the structure of state health facilities under TABIB to the mandatory health insurance system, as well as to improve the capacity of human resources in order to increase the efficiency of these health facilities, the relevant structural units (public relations departments) or staff units (public relations specialists) were created.