The general medical history book Anamneza Giştî, prepared in Kurmanji and Zazaki by the Diyarbakır Medical Chamber, was launched at an event held at Çand Amed Culture and Congress Centre. The event was attended by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Serra Bucak, former Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Selçuk Mızraklı and Hülya Alökmen Uyanık, Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council Member Dr Mehmet Şerif Demir, DBB council members, district municipality co-mayors, heads of departments, representatives of civil society organisations, and numerous people working in the fields of language and healthcare.

The event opened with remarks by Diyarbakır Medical Chamber Chair Veysi Ülgen, while the book’s editors, Elif Turan, Azad Zal and Hacı Özkal, spoke about the preparation process and the significance of the work for healthcare.

‘Understanding a Patient’s Medical History Accounts for 70 Per Cent of Treatment’

Emphasising the importance of accurately understanding a patient’s medical history, the editors said that taking a patient’s medical history accounts for 70 per cent of treatment and therefore plays a crucial role in the doctor-patient relationship. They noted that effective communication cannot be established when there is a language barrier, adding that the book would serve as a practical guide for healthcare professionals working in the field and help bridge communication between patients and doctors.

The editors said they aimed to provide a scientific and standardised reference through the book and added that they hoped to develop a comprehensive medical dictionary for the healthcare sector in the future.

Mızraklı: ‘Having It in Two Languages Is Extremely Valuable’

Selçuk Mızraklı said that it was extremely important and valuable for every doctor to be able to communicate with patients in their mother tongue. He said: “If we are producing a more comprehensive work of this kind, it would have been a major shortcoming not to include Zazaki. Having it in two languages makes it extremely valuable. We are writing history; the doctors of Amed are writing history. Our colleagues have demonstrated through their examples that we are living through history as it happens.”

Co-Mayor Bucak: ‘A Language Grows Stronger and Develops When It Becomes Part of Every Area of Life’

Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Serra Bucak referred to the historical pressure placed on the Kurdish language and stressed that local authorities would continue their work in the fields of language, literature, the arts and municipal terminology without interruption. Co-Mayor Bucak said:

“We have not gathered here today simply to launch a book. Anamneza Giştî is an important and valuable step towards using Kurdish in healthcare. Preserving a language is not possible through everyday conversation, songs, poetry and literature alone. For a language to remain alive, develop and reach new generations, it must also be used in education, healthcare, science, law and public services more broadly.”
Communication Between Patients and Doctors Is Part of Equal Access to Healthcare

“Healthcare is particularly important in this regard. As you know, people express their pain, illnesses and experiences best in their own language. Communication between patients and doctors is not simply a linguistic matter. It is also part of the right to access quality and equal healthcare. For this reason, developing Kurdish medical terminology and preparing resources that doctors and healthcare workers can use are of great importance. This also helps open the way for Kurdish to be used in scientific and professional fields.

“As local authorities, we want Kurdish to remain a living and functional language not only at home and in everyday life, but also in public, institutional, scientific and professional settings. A language grows stronger and develops when it becomes part of every area of life.”

‘A Language Lives Through Use’

“For all these reasons, Anamneza Giştî is more than just a book for us. It is a step towards greater use of Kurdish in healthcare and a foundation for future work. I would like to congratulate and thank the Amed Medical Chamber, doctors, language experts and everyone who contributed to this valuable work. I hope this work will mark the beginning of further efforts, including medical dictionaries, educational materials, research and new publications. Because, as we know, a language lives through use; it becomes richer and builds its future as it is used, developed and passed on.”

Emphasis on the Use of Mother Tongues in Healthcare

The programme concluded with remarks and reflections from participants highlighting the importance of using mother tongues in healthcare.