Good Practices of Municipalities

In Turkey during Covid-19 crisis, many social and humanitarian assistance projects were applied by municipalities in country-wide. Proactive measures has progressively taken to reduce the widespread of the disease.

All of the Municipalities in Turkey applied prevention projects in local level. All metropolitan and provincial municipalities increased the capacity of public transportation buses in order to reduce passengers in the buses who are inner-city wayfaring. In Turkey, using medical mask in public transportation is compulsory, information and warnings about coronavirus were constantly made through print and visual media, internet and social media by municipalities.

Within the perspective of inclusive social policies; psychological support and call centres to monitor citizens’ needs were given by member municipalities. Psychological guidance and consulting services are provided especially for the people with disabilities and their families who need special support. Municipalities are examining the precautions heedfully.

Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality supported agricultural production in local level and carried out projects for farmers during Covid-19 epidemic. As Gaziantep hosts most of Syrian Refugees in the city, the Municipality works for awareness of protections steps, personal hygiene and health awareness including refugees. Also, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality became the first municipality to establish a mask production facility in Turkey during this process. In addition, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality provided healthcare professionals with free accommodation and transport. During Covid-19 crisis management process, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality ranks first with 18 projects in total; 10 of which protective and 8 of which social and economic support projects.

Ordu Metropolitan Municipality designed the “Aircor52 Disinfection Tunnel” to the end of disinfecting against microbes the clothing of citizens who have to leave their homes and go to work. The disinfectant sprayed in the tunnel that was placed at the city centre and that is sensor-operated has no harmful effects on human health.

?zmir Metropolitan Municipality introduced “Crisis Municipalism” municipal directive to fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic. In order to work effectively, Municipality issued a new municipal directive entitled “working principles of crisis municipalism”. In this regard, healthcare professionals were offered nourishing food and Municipality provided accommodation to better working conditions, public places were disinfected and virtual events were organized to raise the moral of citizens.

In order to awareness rising of youth and children about Covid-19, videos were created and shared through social media accounts of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. As young people are effectively using internet and social media, they’ve been reached via their tools.

Konya Metropolitan Municipality created a Project to be able to reach and feed stray animals by collecting leftovers with using modern processing techniques. On the other hand, Konya Metropolitan Municipality is working on informing citizens how to be protected from coronavirus and other viruses. Municipality employees perform checks the buses and trams and brochures with this content were distributed.

Keçiören Municipality created a “Call a Book” page over its website and the citizens are able to enter the system and query books from the Library. Contacting the books was prevented through the Call a Book system put in place to provide access to the 40 thousand volumes in the Fatih Library from home, which system started to send the requested books to citizens’ homes within 48 hours after being placed in a bag and disinfected.

Kad?köy Municipality had increased mobile service points in order to prevent citizens from entering crowds and to reduce the use of public transport. In this scope, transactions may be carried out at the mobile vehicles that provide services at eight different points Also, people in need get morale support and healthy food during the corona crisis through the initiative ‘You stay safe’ by Kad?köy Municipality.