Union: More than 400 health workers infected with Covid-19 in Diyarbakır

*We don't want to die, we want to live and make people live

Click to read the article in Turkish

The Health Laborers Union (SES) and the Amed Health Platform have warned the authorities about increasing Covid-19 infections in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır

SES Dİyarbakır Branch Co-Chair Yıldız Ok-Orak said at a press briefing that at least 400 health workers in the province were diagnosed with Covid-19.

"In our province, the number of cases increases every day and hospitals are full," Ok-Orak said.

"The ministry hiding the real data and informing the people with false data caused serious complacency among society. Taking this data into account, the people continued their normal lives, not seeing the real extent of the outbreak.

"All responsibility lies with the officials, who show the public these unreal data and then say, 'Why don't you take precautions?'"

Infected health workers

"In this period, healthcare personnel's workload, which was already high, has further increased. It has become inevitable that health workers who are in contact with patients more due to the increased workload get infected.

"While the number of infected health workers in Diyarbakır was 90 before the normalization on June 1, it has exceeded 400 now.

"The reason for this is not that people go out more with normalization. The most important reason is that health workers have been in contact with Covid patients for longer periods after flexible work hours ended and normal shifts returned with a circular."

Ok-Orak also criticized the Social Security Institution's (SGK) decision not to consider Covid-19 as an occupational disease for health workers, saying that they would fight against it legally and practically. (SO/VK)