Health care workers protested in many areas of Turkey: We are losing thousands of our people and hundreds of our healthcare professionals due to your lack of decision making to avoid political and economic conflict.
Health workers in many areas of Turkey protested, "We are furious because we are exhausted, we are dying". In protests that commemorate the health workers who lost their lives due to Covid-19, it is being stated that the demands of health workers and scientists are being ignored during the pandemic. Health workers cried out to prevent more deaths, “Enough is enough, we don't want any more of our people dying”.
Ankara Medical Chamber, Revolutionary Health Workers Union, Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES), Social Workers Association, All Radiology Technicians and Technicians Association made a press release in front of Ankara Training and Research Hospital. Speaking in the statement, Ankara Medical Chamber Director Ayşe Uğurlu said, "They risked their own lives for the health of their patients, but they lost their lives because of your bad management of the situation." Stating that, in order for the deaths of health workers to stop, it is not the year that needs to change but the mentality of the government. "On behalf of health labor, professional organizations and all healthcare professionals, we say to you, ‘We don't want any more of our people dying’ We want to live, and help keep others alive”.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, “We have been trying to guide you. We asked you to listen to us. But you failed to listen to the way of science and risked the lives of our people and our health workers” said Ugurlu. She mentioned that due to the lack of transparency in the sharing of information and the decisions the government made or failed to make, hundreds of healthcare workers have lost their lives.
Uğurlu said, “You ignored the advice of the scientists. You tried to achieve a political success story from the epidemic. You declared anyone who told the truth about the epidemic a terrorist.” She states that neither the people nor the healthcare workers are able to get a hold of any personal protective equipment, which should be provided free of charge for everyone. “You couldn't even distribute some masks, we had to get our protective materials from the black market you created. Covid-19 should be considered an occupational disease” she said.
She made a press release in front of Izmir Chamber of Dentists, Izmir Chamber of Pharmacists, Izmir Chamber of Primary Health Care Employees Union Solidarity trade union, the General Health-Business, Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES), Izmir Association of Family Physicians, the Association of Social Workers, Association of All Radiology Technicians and Technician, Turkish Psychological Association, Turkey Association of Family Physicians, Family Health employees Association Izmir, Turkey Health Workers' union hall Sumerbank. She stated, “We are furious because we are exhausted, because we are dying”.
In the joint press release on behalf of healthcare professionals, “We lost thousands of our people and hundreds of healthcare workers because of the decisions you made and the ones you failed to make due political and economic concerns. And we continue to lose them” said Lutfi Camli, president of the İzmir Medical Chamber, stating that the process was not managed correctly.
Pointing out that the government prioritizes economic interests, and not the health of the people, Çamlı asks, “Who will be held accountable for the thousands of lives we have lost due to the decisions you made with only economic and political concerns?”
Camli states that healthcare professionals are working without protection and under harsher conditions than ever. “We warned you about the flu vaccine months ago, you didn’t even consider the healthcare workers to be in the risk group. Our citizens wandered around FHCs, pharmacies and hospitals to find vaccines. This chaos you created turned into a health problem for our citizens and violence to our healthcare workers” said Camli.
Çamlı reminded again that Covid-19 should be considered an occupational disease for healthcare workers and said, “We are warning you again. Prioritise the health of the people and us, not your political concerns. Listen to us and the science for the management of the epidemic going forward. You will be held responsible for every preventable death. We will not remain silent against the violation of our right to live. We want to live and help keep others alive!”
At the press release in front of Seyhan State Hospital, Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Adana Medical Association (ATO), Turkish Dental Association (TDB), Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES), Revolutionary Health Workers Union (Dev Saglık-İs), All Radiology Technicians and Technicians Association and Social Service Professionals Association managers and members attended. The health workers took a minute of silence for their colleagues who lost their lives during the epidemic.
Stating that no information had been shared with them since the beginning of the epidemic, Adana Medical Chamber President Dr. Selahattin Menteş also stated that the deaths have increased because it was economic interests, not the health of the people, that have been prioritized. Menteş said, “We lost lives due to your bad management of the pandemic. A significant part of these deaths were preventable deaths, and you did not or could not prevent them. You violated our most fundamental right, the right to live". (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Ceren Sözeri
Yusuf Karadaş
Aras Coşkuntuncel