Turkish healthcare workers on strike gather against new regulations

Duvar English

Turkey's family physicians and healthcare workers gathered in Istanbul's Kadıköy Pier on the fifth day of their strike.

During the demonstration, which featured banners reading “We Reject the Oppressive Regulation” and “We Demand Tax Justice,” Istanbul Medical Chamber (İTO) President Osman Küçükosmanoğlu and representatives from various civil society organizations participated.

Küçükosmanoğlu criticized the privatization of healthcare for collapsing the system. He said that the regulation paved the way for performance-based pay for family physicians while restricting their basic salaries through convoluted formulas.

"If patients don’t visit, your pay is cut; if too many come, your pay is cut. These are neither acceptable changes nor beneficial to public health."

After November's work stoppage, the Health Ministry dismissed the protest, essentially saying, ‘No one noticed. You’re useless,’ according to Küçükosmanoğlu.

"This is a great disrespect and mirrors (President) Erdoğan’s previous statement, ‘Let them leave if they want,’" referring to emigrating doctors in the country.

"Such an attitude is unacceptable. They want to remove healthcare as a public service and even offered bribes by announcing plans to charge for some services," he said.

Küçükosmanoğlu also highlighted the promotion of unscientific practices like "cupping" or "leeching" therapy after working hours. 

"This introduces money into the system, making it impossible to track which treatments are charged for. Primary healthcare will collapse entirely, creating a system where only those who can pay to receive care. Citizens will have to spend their last savings on private healthcare."

He warned that many healthcare workers were ready to resign, saying:
"People are aware of what’s happening. AKP’s healthcare system has collapsed. The so-called ‘Health Transformation’ project, a World Bank initiative, has failed."