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Dr.
Refik Saydam
Refik Saydam.jpg
Saydam in 1939
4th Prime Minister of Turkey
In office
25 January 1939 – 8 July 1942
President İsmet İnönü
Preceded by Celâl Bayar
Succeeded by Ahmet Fikri Tüzer
Minister of Interior
In office
11 November 1938 – 25 January 1939
Prime Minister Celâl Bayar
Preceded by Mehmet Cemil Uybadın
Succeeded by Mehmet Faik Öztrak
Minister of Health
In office
4 March 1925 – 25 October 1937
Prime Minister İsmet İnönü
Preceded by Mazhar Germen
Succeeded by Ahmet Hulusi Alataş
In office
30 October 1923 – 21 November 1924
Prime Minister İsmet İnönü
Preceded by Rıza Nur
Succeeded by Mazhar Germen
In office
10 March 1921 – 20 December 1921
Prime Minister Fevzi Çakmak
Preceded by Adnan Adıvar
Succeeded by Rıza Nur
Minister of National Education
In office
13 August 1933 – 26 October 1933
Prime Minister İsmet İnönü
Preceded by Reşit Galip
Succeeded by Yusuf Hikmet Bayur
In office
17 September 1930 – 26 September 1930
Prime Minister İsmet İnönü
Preceded by Cemal Hüsnü Taray
Succeeded by Esat Sagay
Member of the Grand National Assembly
In office
28 June 1923 – 8 July 1942
Constituency Istanbul (1923, 1927, 1931,
1935, 1939)
Personal details
Born
İbrahim Refik

(1881-09-08)8 September 1881
Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Died 8 July 1942(1942-07-08) (aged 60)
Istanbul, Turkey
Nationality Turkish
Political party Republican People's Party (CHP)
Alma mater Gülhane Military Medical Academy
Profession Physician
Signature

İbrahim Refik Saydam (born September 8, 1881 – died July 8, 1942) was an important Turkish doctor and politician. He served as the fourth Prime Minister of Turkey from January 25, 1939, until his death in 1942.

Who Was Refik Saydam?

Refik Saydam was born in Istanbul in 1881. His father was Hacı Ahmet Efendi. He went to Fatih Military Junior High School. Later, he studied at the Military School of Medicine. He graduated in 1905 as a doctor captain.

He worked at military hospitals. From 1907 to 1910, he was a doctor at Maltepe Military Hospital. He also worked at the Feshane Factory. To learn more, he went to Germany in 1910. There, he improved his skills in military medicine.

His Role as a Doctor

Refik Saydam was a medic in the Ottoman Army. This was during the time the Ottoman Empire was ending. He developed a special medicine to treat typhus. This disease was very common back then. His medicine was widely used by the Central Powers during World War I.

Refik Saydam's Political Journey

Refik Saydam played a key role in the Turkish War of Independence. In 1919, he traveled to Samsun with Mustafa Kemal (later known as Atatürk). This journey marked the start of the resistance movement in Anatolia.

He was known as a leader who wanted to make many changes. This was especially true when he became Prime Minister. Turkey changed a lot in the years after his death.

Early Political Steps

On December 1, 1913, Saydam became the vice-president of the Health Department in the Ministry of War. He was promoted to major in 1915. During this time, he set up the Institute of Bacteriology. This institute created vaccines to fight diseases like typhus.

After a truce, he became a health inspector for the army. He went to Anatolia with Mustafa Kemal in 1919. He attended important meetings like the Erzurum and Sivas Congresses. He then came to Ankara and joined the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. He was elected as a representative for Bayazıt in 1920.

He became the Minister of Health in the government led by Fevzi Pasha. He later resigned due to illness.

Serving as a Minister

Refik Saydam was elected as a representative for Istanbul. He served as the Minister of Health in several governments. These were led by İsmet Pasha (later İsmet İnönü). He worked hard to improve health services across the country.

He also helped establish the Hıfzıssıha Foundation. This foundation is still known by his name today. It focuses on public health.

Becoming Prime Minister

After Mustafa Kemal Atatürk passed away, Refik Saydam became the Minister of Interior in November 1938. He also became the general secretary of the Republican People's Party.

On January 25, 1939, President İsmet İnönü appointed him as the Prime Minister of Turkey. He served as Prime Minister during a difficult time. He worked to protect Turkey from the challenges of World War II.

Refik Saydam passed away in Istanbul on July 8, 1942. He was buried in Ankara. He was never married.

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