The Health and Social Service Workers’ Union: We’re dying on duty, hear our voices now!

The Health and Social Service Workers’ Union (SES) made a statement about the death of Kadir Saldız, a health worker employed in the Covid-19 service, despite being a lymphoma patient in Tarsus.

In the statement made by the Health and Social Service Workers’ Union (SES) regarding the death of Kadir Saldız, a lymphoma patient who works as a nurse in Mersin Tarsus State Hospital, after a 24-hour shift, was stated that "We have repeatedly stated that health workers with chronic diseases should be considered as having administrative leave under these severe working conditions".

In the statement, it was stated that Kadir Saldız, a 40-year-old father of three children, working as a nurse at Mersin Tarsus State Hospital, did not wake up from the sofa where he was lying on and saying "I will rest for a while" after delivering the 24-hour watch he held; “A colleague of ours, who said that he was being treated for lymphoma, left saying 'I'll have some rest'. He did not wake up again, our friend died before our eyes.”

“WE HAVE WARNED THE MINISTRY COUNTLESS TIMES FOR CHRONIC PATIENTS TO BE DEEMED WITH ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT”

In the statement, which highlighted that even the health workers' rights to leave, retirement and resignation were taken from them unconstitutionally, it was stated as follows: “Long working hours have increased even more with the pandemic, and their workload has increased much more with the lack of personnel. Since the beginning of the pandemic, our union has repeatedly stated that health workers with chronic diseases should be deemed as administrative leave under these severe working conditions. For this purpose, he held press releases, actions and events many times. First of all, the Ministry's insensitivity to this, the insensitive attitude of the administrators of the institutions in the face of this situation and the attitude of ‘whatever, so long as all other work carries one’ has brought health workers to the brink of death.”

“HEALTHCARE RETIRER IS TOLD" YOU WILL WORK TO YOUR DEATH REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS”

In addition, the statement underlined that Saldız, who died while on duty, was informed that the Covid-19 test was positive; “Think about it, he is made to work even though he has a chronic disease and it is understood that he was Covid positive. In short, the health worker is clearly told that "no matter what happens, you will work to death". For example, a health worker in Ankara was denied administrative leave permission despite having a 77% disability and chronic lung failure and even winning the lawsuit he filed”.

“OUR URGENT REQUESTS TO LIVE AND LET LIVE SHOULD BE MET”

“We call out to the Ministry of Health from here and warn the Minister of Health: The health worker is of flesh and bone like all people. It is neither a robot nor a slave. They lose their lives while fighting the epidemic selflessly and extraordinarily. We do not want to die while protecting the health of the people and trying to keep them alive”, and the following urgent demands of the healthcare professionals were asked to be met in order to live and let live:

1. Those with a chronic or cancer history or treatment should be given immediate administrative leave.
2. Covid-19 to be considered as a work accident and occupational disease.
3. Adequate rest, nutrition and rotating working conditions should be provided for health workers who have chronic fatigue and come to the brink of burnout. Six-hour work per day for other public employees should also be seen as a right for healthcare workers and should be allowed in return for overtime.
4. For the health of health workers and public health, the number of health workers should be increased with permanent and secure employment.