Turkish Medical Association: You cannot manage the pandemic, we are burning out

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Amid surging numbers of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths and cases in the country, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) released a statement yesterday (September 14) and called out to authorities under the hashtag "#YönetemiyorsunuzTükeniyoruz", which can be roughly translated as "You cannot manage it, we are burning out."

Launching a campaign with the same title, the TTB has noted, "Every single day, we will keep on reminding the responsible parties of their historical responsibility in the face of their attitude of blaming citizens and leaving the burden entirely on the shoulders of physicians and health workers."

The Association has also declared September 14-18 the "Week of You Cannot Manage it, We are Burning out" in an attempt to raise awareness about the pandemic and urge the authorities to step up measures.

"It is not only physicians and health workers, but the fathers, months, brothers and sisters of some of us also die," the statement of the TTB has read: "According to the figures that we know to be higher, but announced officially, every day, an average of 40-50 citizens of ours lose their lives due to COVID-19, which is a preventable disease."

A moment of silence for the deceased

Against this backdrop, the Turkish Medical Association has listed a series of events to be held throughout the week:

* Social media campaigns will be held to show the situation, demands and expectations of physicians and healthcare workers amid COVID-19 outbreak and the current grave picture of the outbreak.

* In an attempt to raise concerns over COVID-19 deaths and increasing numbers of patients, especially among healthcare workers, and as required by respect for the memory of all citizens and health workers who have so far lost their lives due to COVID-19, "black ribbons" will be worn in all medical institutions and living spaces.

* With the aim of extending the awareness embodied by black ribbons, banners with ribbons will be hung in all places of life, ranging from hospital rooms to pharmacies, from facades of buildings to windows of rooms.

* To make the grave consequences of COVID-19 "renormalization" steps taken by the government in June visible, show the situation of physicians and health workers who are at the very forefront of the fight against COVID-19 and remind the authorities of their responsibility once again;

On September 15, in all provinces of Turkey, a one-person march will be held with "mask-face shield-gown or all in white" equipment and a single large banner that reads "#YönetemiyorsunuzTükeniyoruz" (You cannot manage it, we are burning out) on separate main routes to be specified by the Medical Chamber Executive Boards depending on the size of the province.

* In memory of the physicians and health workers who lost their lives in hospitals and all other medical institutions and of tens of thousands of citizens who have either officially been confirmed as COVID-19 deaths or have died of "infectious diseases" even though they are not seen in COVID-19 records; a call will be made to all institutions and to the public to observe a moment of silence at 12.30 p.m. on September 17. (AS/SD)