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Health workers in several cities went on a one-day strike yesterday (February 8), demanding better wages and working conditions.
In Ankara, the capital, health workers gathered at the Hacettepe University Hospital. Making a statement for the press there, Deniz Dülgeroğlu, a member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Committee, said, "[The Ministry of Health] could not manage the pandemic but managed the perception. Our personal rights have been eroded, working conditions have worsened. All healthcare workers, including physicians, said, 'We can't make a living'."
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Murat Emir and members of Left (Sol) Party and Community Centers (Halkevleri) also attended the gathering.
In İstanbul, members of the İstanbul Medical Chamber, İstanbul Dentists' Chamber, İstanbul Pharmacists' Chamber, İstanbul Veterinarians Chamber, the Healthcare and Social Service Workers' Union (SES) and the Genel Sağlık-İş union gathered at the Çapa Faculty of Medicine Hospital.
Şebnem Korur-Fincancı, the head of the Turkish Medical Association, said, "We live in conditions where our labor is devalued and we are alienated from our labor. Our colleagues are even in doubt about continuing their profession. Many of them are considering going abroad.
"Physicians are exhausted, health workers are exhausted. This makes a healthy healthcare service impossible. We want our rights, we want preventive health services against the health transformation program. We want free healthcare that is accessible to everyone."
Demonstrations and gatherings were also held in İzmir, Adana, Şırnak, Batman, Mersin, Bursa, Dersim, Mardin and Artvin. (EMK/VK)
