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Targeted by politicians and state officials, especially by President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and allying Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council has released a statement.
Underlining that in addition to thousands of people, 112 healthcare workers, including 50 physicians, have lost their lives since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the TTB has said, "We will keep speaking up in every field for the health of society and physicians."
'It leads to public backlash, not support'
Reiterating that the TTB will continue speaking up despite being targeted, the Association has briefly stated:
"Unlike the government, the Turkish Medical Association is one of the institutions that have been telling society the truth during COVID-19 pandemic; revealed the deficiencies of the program of transformation in healthcare; told the truths about city hospitals and what it said has been confirmed by the Court of Accounts' reports; expressed the problems of their colleagues; and have been trusted by the public and physicians the most.
"However, we sadly see that there has been a deliberate attempt to target Turkish Medical Association with slanders and a perception operation.
"TTB has been on the side of the rightful, not that of the ones who see themselves as powerful, and it will continue to do so. Though the ones who see themselves as powerful try to self-justify their positions everywhere, they are faced with serious public backlash, let alone being supported.
"Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı will remain in office as the Chair of the Central Council, which will safeguard the current attitudes and values of the Turkish Medical Association and physicians in this term, just as it did in the previous ones. Just like the previous statements, the statement made yesterday is a baseless statement that targets a professional organization under Constitutional guarantee and does not reflect the truths.
"The real aim is obviously an attempt to wear away the physicians who do not shy away from telling the truths for public health and to eliminate their organization. Not only physicians, but the entire public is aware of this.
"We, as the TTB, will not be in empty debates that we are drawn into. Those who have a word to say to us first have to answer for the false COVID-19 data and resultant deaths; and the unhealthy environment at an impasse.
"Our agenda will be focused on talking about the reports on city hospitals, which are clearly indicated in the 2020 reports of the Court of Accounts and that have disclosed the truths we have been telling for years.
"We are reminding you once again: Health does not solely mean a lack of disease or disability, but it is also a complete physical, mental and social well-being. With this in mind, we will keep speaking up in every field for the health of society and physicians." (AS/SD)
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