Turkish Medical Association releases report on six months of pandemic in Turkey

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The Turkish Medical Association yesterday (September 21) released its report on the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a press briefing, TTB hair Prof. Sinan Adıyaman said, "Would there be this many patients and deaths in Turkey if the recommendations of the Turkish Medical Association were implemented and a constructive, open, equalitarian outbreak control coordination was maintained with us?

The report included both evaluations about the current situation and recommendations about what the authorities, including the Ministry of Health should do.

"It is predicted that the COVID-19 outbreak will accelerate in the coming autumn. Simultaneously, the increase in influenza, especially between October and March, may cause difficulties in diagnosis," said the report.

The TTB recommended influenza and Covid-19 tests for all patients who go to the hospital with severe respiratory infection complaints.

About the reopening process, the TTB report said, "The outbreak, which accelerated as a result of the uncontrolled process that we call 'reopening' and the government calls 'normalization'. The outbreak that cannot be managed is tiring, exhausting and killing health workers and physicians!"

"In the last weeks, we have been losing one or several healthcare workers almost every day. We are afraid that this picture will get worse from autumn.

"We expect the Ministry of Health to urgently give a positive response to our demands that we conveyed to them, namely regular PCR tests for health workers, not making those whose PCR test is negative but clinical findings comply with Covid-19 work, eliminating personal protective equipment deficiencies and recognizing COVID-19 as an occupational disease." (AS/VK)