EUR500 Million Financing Agreement Inked between Islamic Development Bank and Türkiye to Develop Disaster-Resilient Health Infrastructure
Ankara, Türkiye, 20 June 2025 – The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Republic of Türkiye have signed a EUR500 million financing agreement to enhance the provision of safe, sustainable, and disaster-resilient healthcare services in the country.
Mr. Kerem Dönmez, Director General of Foreign Economic Relations, Ministry of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye, and Dr. Walid Abdelwahab, Director of IsDB Group Regional Hub in the country, signed the agreement on 20th June 2025.
The IsDB financing aims to support the reconstruction of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet (FSM) hospital in Istanbul, ensuring that it is earthquake-resilient and can maintain continuous healthcare delivery under emergency conditions. This project represents the largest single project financed by IsDB in the country.
At the signing ceremony, Mr. Kerem Dönmez declared that this facility will contribute to Türkiye's commitment to increasing the earthquake resilience in public hospitals and providing high-quality healthcare services in Istanbul.
Dr. Walid Abdelwahab expressed pride in this strategic partnership, stating that the project currently represents the largest single financing provided to Türkiye by the IsDB Group in its five-decade history. He emphasized that the initiative will significantly improve access to high-quality, reliable, and sustainable healthcare services.
The Disaster-Resilient Health Infrastructure Project is part of the Istanbul Seismic Risk Reduction and Emergency Preparedness (ISMEP) initiative by the Governorship of Istanbul. The project aims to sustainably address Istanbul’s increasing healthcare needs by expanding hospital bed capacity and providing high-quality, accessible, and resilient healthcare services in Türkiye.
The FSM hospital's bed capacity is planned to increase from 310 to 1,584 beds. Upon completion, the facility is projected to see annual outpatient visits rise from 1 million to 2.6 million, and emergency patients from 250,000 to 800,000. The surgical operations capacity is expected to triple.
As a co-financier within the ISMEP Initiative, the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) will provide support for the enhancement, expansion, and integration of the Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital with the Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital. In parallel, the Government of Türkiye will contribute to the project by supplying medical equipment, furniture, and advanced technology, as well as ensuring the adequate staffing for the targeted healthcare facilities involved.
The project represents a major milestone within the 2024–2026 Country Engagement Framework between IsDB and Türkiye, one of the Bank's founding members. It is aligned with the priorities outlined in the Government’s 12th Development Plan (2024-2028), reinforcing national efforts to advance sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development.
For more information, please visit: www.isdb.org or contact:
Kokhorjon Aminov, Operations Team Leader, IsDB | Email: kaminov@isdb.org
M.A. DinMohammadi, Regional Communications Officer, IsDB | Email: mdinmohammadi@isdb.org
About Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group
Rated AAA by the major rating agencies of the world, the Islamic Development Bank is the pioneering multilateral development bank (MDB) of the Global South that has been working for over 50 years to improve the lives of the people and communities it serves by delivering impact at scale. The Bank brings together 57 Member Countries across four continents, touching the lives of nearly 1 in 4 people worldwide. It is committed to addressing development challenges and promoting collaboration to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by equipping people to drive their own green economic and sustainable social progress, putting planet-friendly infrastructure in place, and enabling them to fulfil their potential. Headquartered in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IsDB has 10 regional hubs and a center of excellence. Over the years, the Bank has evolved from a single entity into a group comprising: the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI); the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC); the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD); the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC); and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD).
