License of former health minister's hospital revoked following newborn insurance scam in Turkey

Turkish Health Ministry has revoked the licenses of 10 private hospitals for their reported involvement in an insurance scam, which led to the death of several newborns. One of those hospitals, Özel Avcılar Hospital, is owned by former Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu.

Sunday October 20 2024 07:16 pm

Duvar English

Turkey’s Health Ministry, as of Oct. 20, revoked the licenses of 10 private hospitals for allegedly being involved in an insurance scam that led to several babies’ deaths.

According to a recently proclaimed investigation, the suspects, mostly health workers in Istanbul’s private hospitals, acted in close connection with emergency medical dispatchers, referring the newborns to the neonatal units of the private hospitals where they work.

The suspects aimed to collect high fees from the insurance system by making the newborns’ conditions appear more severe than they actually were, hospitalizing them more than they needed, and even collecting extra money from the relatives.

This process reportedly led to the death of an unknown number of newborns.

While the indictment cites 19 private hospitals in Istanbul, the ministry has so far revoked the licenses of 10 of them after a public uproar.

The investigation has been ongoing for more than one year, but the revocation of the licences came only after the investigation became publicly known, stirring a huge reaction.

Özel Avcılar Hospital, one of those hospitals, is owned by former Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, who served between 2013 and 2016.

“I received information from the hospital management, so I feel very comfortable. My colleagues are people who do their job well. We are already undergoing 6-7 inspections. I am conscientiously comfortable,” Müezzinoğlu told Oda TV on Oct. 18, refusing any responsibility.

“We cannot have an understanding other than healing and keeping people alive. It is not possible for us to accept anyone with such an understanding. I will work to ensure that people who are outside this understanding are punished in front of the law,” he added.

The scandal once again showed the Turkish government’s inability to properly control and supervise private-run establishments.