‘Why doesn’t Turkey announce number of intensive care, intubated patients anymore?’

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Addressing a Parliamentary question to Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Adana MP Tülay Hatimoğulları has raised concerns about the lack of data shared by the Health Ministry about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Turkey.

Hatimoğulları has underlined that since the very first day of the outbreak in Turkey in early March 2020, no sound data have been shared with the public as to the course of the pandemic in the country.

The MP has also noted that while the Ministry of Health was sharing daily numbers of intensive care and intubated patients for almost five months, it has now stopped sharing these figures as well, which has caused the public to suspect if there is an attempt to hide the truths from the public.

"As noted by the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), while the ratio of active cases to the number of intensive care patients should be below 2 percent according to world standards, this ratio is unfortunately 10 percent in Turkey," Hatimoğulları has underlined further.

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In her Parliamentary question, the MP has also stressed that Turkey does not use the codes recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Even though there are apparently patients who test negative for the virus, but who are positive according to clinical and radiological findings, these data are ignored," Hatimoğulları has said, sharing the following remarks by Turkish Medical Association Chair Sinan Adıyaman:

"If the reopening had not been that quick, we were expecting to have less than 300 cases a day. We are in this condition now because economic and political interests are taken into consideration, rather than public health.

"The first wave cannot be curbed and the outbreak has accelerated considerably. We see this in Ankara and İstanbul. Ankara is now going through peak times more than ever before."

'Why have you omitted the numbers?'

HDP Adana MP Hatimoğulları has asked Health Minister Koca a series of questions, including the following:

"While these data used to be shared with the public on a daily basis, why have the numbers of intensive care patients and intubated patients omitted from the Daily Coronavirus Table of Turkey?

"While the course of the pandemic could be followed by looking at the number of active cases and intensive care patients in line with world standards, why are these data not shared? Is it an attempt to prevent people from knowing the related rate in comparison with the world standards?

"It is alleged that after the TTB announced that this rate was over 10 in Turkey, the Ministry of Health has stopped announcing this data. Is it true?

"The ratio of active cases and intensive care patients is 10 percent in Turkey and 15 percent in Diyarbakır. Are there any works planned to be undertaken by your Ministry to decrease this rate to 1.5-2 percent in world standards?

'Is it true that intensive care units are full?'

"If data will be shared 'according to international standards' as you said, then why are the codes recommended by WHO for diagnosis not used?

"Why has the Ministry not shared R0 value so far? What is the R0 value in Turkey since early March and how has it changed in time?

"It is noted that the pandemic cannot be curbed by normalization; on the contrary, there is a serious acceleration in major cities such as İstanbul and Ankara. Are measures being taken about this by your Ministry?

"Considering that the first wave of the outbreak cannot be curbed, are there any emergency plans that you are thinking of implementing?

"It is alleged that intensive care units are full in Ankara, Diyarbakır and Urfa hospitals. Is it true? What is your plan for the treatment of intensive care patients diagnosed with coronavirus in these cities?

Worker deaths in Vestel factory in Manisa

"Even though the Ministry said that there was enough place in intensive care units, a KOAH patient diagnosed with COVID-19 was not admitted into intensive care units of hospitals because there was no bed and lost his life in Diyarbakır on July 27. How can you explain this failure to refer the patient to an intensive care unit in Diyarbakır?

"As required by your Ministry's obligation to ensure citizens' access to necessary treatment, what steps will your Ministry take about it?

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"It is alleged that 1,000 workers have tested positive for the virus and 17 workers have lost their lives in Vestel Factory in Manisa, where 16,000 people have been working. Is it true?

"What coordinated works and inspections are undertaken by your Ministry and the Ministry of Labor to protect workers from COVID-19 in factories like Dardanel and Vestel, where thousands of people work?

"Will accurate data be shared with the public about the state of the outbreak in these factories?" (TP/SD)