* Photo: Dr. Eyüp Çetin / toplumsal.com.tr
Click to read the article in Turkish
Konya Medical Chamber Chair Dr. Eyüp Çetin has resigned from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) over President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's remarks targeting physicians.
Speaking at a Women's Day event, Erdoğan talked about the shortage of physicians in city hospitals by briefly saying: "Are they off to work in the private sector in spite of this because they are paid much more? So be it, let them go. We will employ our newly graduated doctors here and carry on with them. We swiftly invite the ones who want to come back to Turkey from abroad, if needed. It will not remain empty around here, don't worry."
Medical organizations such as the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and the Health Services Union (SAHİM-SEN) as well as the opposition have severely criticized Erdoğan over these remarks.
As reported by Müslüm Evci from the daily Sözcü, criticizing President and AKP Chair Erdoğan's statement about physicians, Konya Medical Chamber Chair Dr. Eyüp Çetin, a member of the AKP, has sent his petition of resignation to the AKP Konya Selçuk District Organization.
'It defames profession of medicine'
In his petition, Çetin has reportedly written that Erdoğan's speech was "oriented towards defaming the profession of medicine."
Expressing concerns that "reducing the several problems of physicians to wages and throwing them to the people will increase violence in healthcare", he has further criticized the mentality of "If there are no professors or specialists in city hospitals, we will carry on with assistants":
"Seeing that the value attached to seniority, knowledge and science is set to zero by the top official, we physicians are deeply sorry."
In his petition, Dr. Çetin has written, "As the Chair of the Konya Medical Chamber, I resign from your party, which I am a member of, due to this unfortunate speech." Criticizing Erdoğan further on Twitter, Çetin has described Erdoğan's treatment of physicians as "hubris".
What happened?
President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the women neighborhood heads in Turkey on the occasion of March 8 International Women's Day.
Speaking at the Women's Day event, Erdoğan talked about the shortage of physicians in city hospitals by briefly saying:
"Doctors leave because they are underpaid. [...] We are the ones who built these hospitals. Isn't it the state that educated and raised these doctors? [...] I asked... How much do they earn at minimum? 8-9 thousand. They earn around 25 thousand at most. Are they off to work in the private sector in spite of this because they are paid much more? So be it, let them go.
"We will employ our newly graduated doctors here and carry on with them. We swiftly invite the ones who want to come back to Turkey from abroad, if needed. It will not remain empty around here, don't worry. It mustn't be so humane to base such a sacred profession as this on there."
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) responded to these remarks in a written statement and said that his speech "indicated the crisis of inability to govern". The TTB accused Erdoğan of "making efforts to cover up the crisis in healthcare by misleading society and portraying physicians in such a way that their only demand seems to be money."
The Health Services Union (SAHİM-SEN) also criticized President Erdoğan's remarks against physicians and underlined that "the wrong healthcare system pits the public against the healthcare community". (AEK/SD)
