Doctors to continue 'white protests'

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Doctors' organizations have announced that they will continue protests against the country's healthcare system.

The one-day strike on December 15 made the public support for doctors' struggle "more visible," Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Chair Şebnem Korur-Fincancı said yesterday (December 21) at a meeting, where more than 20 provincial medical chamber chairs attended online.

CLICK - Healthcare workers go on strike across Turkey

During the meeting, doctors' problems such as worsening personal rights, shifts exceeding 36 hours, the lack of effective legislation about violence against health workers and doctors having to take a patient every five minutes were discussed.

"A struggle against the destruction of our professional values and health workers being made invaluable is inevitable," said Korur-Fincancı. "We'll continue our white protests until we get our rights."

İstanbul Medical Chamber Chair Prof. Pınar Saip said health workers had never experienced such a "burnout."

Representatives of medical chambers said doctors should organize mass rallies and long-term work stoppage protests.

"Our struggle is not only for our own rights, but for the public's right to health. Because when all health workers cannot get their rights and cannot provide a qualified health service, the society suffers the most from this," said Korur-Fincancı. (EMK/VK)