Health diplomacy in the context of public diplomacy: Turkey's health diplomacy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Health diplomacy, one of today's important concepts, is considered as a public diplomacy tool. While health diplomacy studies are implemented in various ways by many countries in normal periods, they gain vital importance especially in times of health crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine Turkey's health diplomacy practices as a public diplomacy tool during the Covid-19 period and to test the study questions with people from professional groups related to health communication, public diplomacy, and health diplomacy through in-depth interviews as a qualitative data collection method. For the study, interviews were conducted with 10 people using the specified method. The interviews were held online. A semi-structured interview form was used to collect data. Interview answers were analyzed using the descriptive method. Hypotheses were tested based on the findings obtained as a result of the analysis. The participants answered the study's first question: "Are Turkey's health diplomacy activities compatible with foreign policy objectives?" It has been seen that the answer to the question is compatible. However, the second question of the study is "Which countries or geographical regions do Turkey's health diplomacy activities focus on during the Covid-19 process?" Or can we talk about such a concentration? They answered the question that there is no regional concentration. Participants confirmed Turkey's COVID-19 period health diplomacy practices by interpreting them through Turkey's many existing foreign policies. However, they emphasized that Turkey's health diplomacy practices are based on demand and need, not geographical proximity. Health diplomacy is an area open to development for Turkey. Although there are limited academic studies on the subject yet, it is anticipated that academic studies on Turkey's health diplomacy in the Covid-19 period will increase and deepen in the coming period.