Turkey’s family physicians on third strike over pay, work conditions

Ferhat Yaşar / Gazete Duvar

Turkey's family physicians and health workers on Jan. 6 began their third work stoppage to protest changes in the "Family Medicine Contract and Payment Regulation." The strike, organized by healthcare unions, was set to continue until 5 p.m. on Friday.

During a demonstration in front of the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate, health workers chanted slogans calling for the resignation of the health minister.

Dr. Sercan Ahmet Uluç, General Secretary of the Istanbul Family Medicine Association, read a joint statement from the unions.

"We have come together again to voice our reaction to the Family Medicine Oppression Regulation. We closely observe how the Ministry continues to promote this nonsensical regulation, using all state resources while ignoring our demands," Uluç said.

Uluç added that the ministry falsely portrayed the regulation to fully benefit doctors, concealing its detrimental clauses to "mislead" the public into thinking they will give family physicians more money.

"The Ministry has even resorted to responding to tweets from our colleagues using an unprofessional tone on its official account, which is supposed to solve citizens’ problems," he added.

"The Ministry has overstepped in its attempts to impose this regulation on us, spreading misinformation to turn the public against us. The seats you occupy are meant for action, not stubbornness. You must realize that not every regulation you draft is logical or feasible," Uluç said.

Hundreds of physicians are working alone to manage every task, Uluç explained, noting the substandard physical conditions of Family Health Centers, which he compared to those in developing countries. He criticized attempts to match the healthcare standards of developed nations while ignoring the dire conditions in Turkey.

"The economic disparity between us and healthcare workers in the OECD countries you compare us to is widening. In which OECD country does a family physician see 80-100 patients a day? Please enlighten us," Uluç said.

He also questioned policies tying physician compensation to prescribed medications and patient satisfaction, calling them illogical. "Explain where in the world such nonsensical clauses exist," he challenged.

He accused the ministry of causing millions of liras in losses by distributing additional payments indiscriminately for hospital admissions and ignoring audit findings. "All of this proves how far removed the ministry is from reason and logic," Uluç said.

Uluç emphasized the resolve of the healthcare workers to continue their weekly strikes. "If the Ministry does not act, this series of unprecedentedly long strikes in the healthcare sector will continue every month. Rest assured, we will continue to fight to protect public health and secure our rights," Uluç concluded.

(English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)