‘For a Lasting Democracy, Don’t Regard Professional Organizations as Obstacles’

* Photos: İstanbul Chamber of Pharmacists

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Today is May 14 Pharmacy Day in Turkey. On this occasion, İstanbul Chamber of Pharmacists held a ceremony at Taksim Square in Beyoğlu.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chamber Chair Cenap Sarıalioğlu has reminded the audience that it has been 181 years since scientific pharmaceutical education started in Turkey, or rather, in the then Ottoman Empire. 

Noting that they cannot celebrate May 14 as a feast due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has plagued the whole world including Turkey, Sarıalioğlu has briefly stated the following:

"We would like to, once again, extend our thanks to our all colleagues who are offering medicine and consulting services 24/7 all around Turkey, who are working heartily against coronavirus by ignoring the hardships that we are in and enriching our country and people.

'Strong organizations, strong democracy...'

"We, as pharmacists, are fighting to 'stay afloat' apart from our fight against coronavirus. The Transformation in Healthcare Program has, in a sense, walked all over medicine and pharmacy in Turkey.

"We have a lot more problems such as economic pressures, employment, security at shifts, online sales, attempts to take products out of pharmacies... We want the public authority to see us and hear our voice.

"We do not want busywork. We want arrangements that will help us to take a sigh of relief economically and give us the opportunity to fulfil our main duty, namely offering medicine and consulting services.

"Strong professional organizations make a democracy strong and a strong democracy enables the members of professional organizations to struggle for their rights. If there is a will to build a lasting democracy in Turkey, professional organizations should not been seen as obstacles and any remarks that would discredit them should be avoided.

"We are, once again, making a call to abandon the plans to undermine and divide professional organizations.

"On this occasion, we would like to, once again, wish a happy Pharmacy Day to our all colleges and express our hopes for days when all problems of our problems are solved, the pandemic comes to an and life returns to normal."

İstanbul Medical Chamber previously said, 'We demand respect for physicians' will'

The statement of the İstanbul Chamber of Pharmacists with an emphasis on the strength of professional organizations has come amid hinted changes at the election methods of professional organizations.

President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan previously said, "There are several legal regulations expecting to be concluded at the Parliament. One of them is about setting the structures of bars, medical chambers and the like. We need to restart working on it and bring it to the Parliament as soon as possible."

In response to this statement, İstanbul Medical Chamber also released a statement on May 12 and indicated that they did not know the details of Erdoğan's remarks or what kind of preparations were underway.

"However, we hear that there are two primary desires, namely reducing the number of delegates of large chambers and introducing a system of proportional representation," the Chamber added.

Expressing their "demand for physicians' will", the Chamber asked, "If 'proportional representation' is such a 'democratic' system, why is it not implemented in the administration of the country?" (AÖ/SD)