Ashgabat, May 12, 2025 – In a significant step toward nurturing the next generation of global health leaders, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Turkmenistan in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and Myrat Garryyev State Medical University, and with the support of the UN Volunteers has launched a two-week intensive online spoken English course for medical students.
This initiative is part of the broader Youth4Health initiative of Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director of WHO/Europe that brings together passionate young people across Europe and Central Asia to champion health, well-being, and equity in their communities. The participating students of the spoken English course are active members of this network, already engaged in health advocacy and leadership efforts.
The course focused on strengthening students’ English communication skills—an essential tool for engaging in international health dialogue. The curriculum was tailored to the needs of future healthcare professionals, with a strong emphasis on medical terminology, patient communication, and academic discussions.
What set this course apart was its interactive and immersive approach. With the guidance of UN Volunteers and native English-speaking facilitators, students participated in dynamic sessions that included role-playing, thematic discussions, and real-world simulations. These activities were designed not only to build vocabulary and fluency but also to boost students’ confidence in using English in professional and clinical settings.
For many students, this course represented more than just language learning—it became a gateway to the global health community.
“It gave us an awesome chance to practice and evolve our language skills. That is something that I personally have been struggling with and ever since I dived into my studies, that are more medicine related than languages.”- said Yaylymova Jahan, one of the students.
Nazik Atayeva added: “I’ve learned so much and feel even more motivated to grow both personally and professionally. I’m very eager to participate in similar programs in the future and hope there will be more chances to connect and learn like this.”
“The students were absolutely incredible. Prepared, open, passionate, and full of light—they made every session feel alive. Working with them was the kind of experience every teacher dreams of.” -noted Alexander Dmitriev, a UN Vounteer that led the English course.
The initiative also reflects WHO’s ongoing commitment to youth empowerment and capacity-building in Turkmenistan. By investing in young people’s skills and confidence, the program supports the long-term goal of creating a resilient, informed, and globally connected health workforce.
