‘Without strict measures in place, COVID-19 outbreak may intensify again’
Speaking at the press conference of the Turkish Medical Association, physicians have underlined that COVID-19 risk is still in place for the unvaccinated, warning that strict measures should be implemented.
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) held an online press conference yesterday (April 13) and shared their findings and observations on the second year of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The conference was attended by several TTB physicians, including TTB Central Council Chair Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Secretary General Vedat Bulut and Public Health Branch and Pandemic Working Group members.
Taking the floor at the press conference, Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı underlined that the official data does not reflect the truth and raised concerns that the Ministry of Health has been hiding the data.
She has noted that over 500 healthcare workers have lost their lives during the pandemic; 200 of them were physicians.
Emphasis on 'keeping measures strict'
Prof. Mehmet Zencir, speaking afterwards, indicated that though restrictions have been lifted, measures should be kept strict. The physician warned that "without strict measures, the outbreak may intensify again." He said, "Turkey has eased the measures, but it may cause deaths."
Pulmonologist Prof. Levent Akyıldız also underlined that the past data must be clearly announced to prognose the upcoming period.
'They run the risk of deaths'
Taking the floor afterwards, Prof. Esin Davutoğlu Şenol noted that the pace of vaccination has slowed down across the world and said that the states risk some deaths by not vaccinating certain groups.
Prof. Nasır Nesanır raised concerns that the Ministry of Health of Turkey distributed some useless medication to people even though there was no scientific data. "Other preventive healthcare systems have also been affected by the wrong policies of the Ministry," he briefly added.
'The unvaccinated are still at risk'
Prof. Oğuz Kılınç, in his speech at the conference, stressed that the pandemic will continue for a long period of time for some groups, adding that the pandemic will be in place for the ones who have problems with accessing healthcare, the elderly and unvaccinated people.
He further noted that when the restrictions were eased, the infection spread to society and kept on causing the deaths of the groups at risk. Emphasizing that measures should be in place again to prevent deaths, Kılınç argued that there will be an increase in deaths without measures.
'Three times more deaths than official figures'
According to the TTB Pandemic Working Group member Güçlü Yaman, the number of deaths during the pandemic has been at least three times the official data. Noting that vaccination rates are very low in Turkey, he said that only 20-25 percent have been fully vaccinated.
Academic Özgür Müftüoğlu, on the other hand, said that the government became more authoritarian and caused considerable changes in the working life during the pandemic. Noting that some segments of the society got richer while others got poorer in this process, Müftüoğlu said, "This was the preference of the political power holders." (RT/SD)
Authorities in Niğde's Bor district have detained six suspects attempting to sell a medieval-era mummy, believed to belong to a Christian individual, officials announced.
The the provincial gendarmerie command conducted an operation on Mar 11 in the Kemerhisar town and searched the residence of one of the suspects, identified as H.G., discovering a mummified male figure.
Authorities stated that five additional suspects have been detained and that the investigation is ongoing.
Following the operation, Niğde Governor Cahit Çelik shared footage of the raid on social media, congratulating the law enforcement. "We commend our gendarmerie teams for their dedicated efforts in preserving our country’s cultural heritage and congratulate them on their successful operation. We reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding our historical legacy."
The mummy was determined to belong to a Christian individual from the medieval period, the governor added.
📌Niğde İl Jandarma Komutanlığımız tarafından, kültür ve tabiat varlığı kaçakçılığıyla mücadele kapsamında gerçekleştirilen başarılı bir operasyon sonucunda, Bor ilçesi Kemerhisar kasabasında tarihi bir mumyayı satmaya çalışan şahıslar tespit edilerek yakalanmıştır.
Edip Akbayram, a pioneer of Anatolian rock, dies at 75
A key figure in Anatolian rock and protest music, Akbayram stood out from the 1970s onward with songs addressing social issues. He created a unique style by blending folk music with rock and Western musical elements.
One of the leading figures in Turkey's Anatolian rock and protest music, Edip Akbayram, has passed away at the age of 75 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in İstanbul.
The artist was hospitalized on Jan 9 due to suspected internal bleeding caused by a fall from his bed. He underwent surgery on Jan 10.
İstanbul Provincial Health Director Assoc. Prof. Abdullah Emre Güner announced Akbayram's death late yesterday.
A key figure in Anatolian rock and protest music, Akbayram stood out from the 1970s onward with songs addressing social issues. He created a unique style by blending folk music with rock and Western musical elements.
The artist achieved great success with songs like "Aldırma Gönül" and "Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz," earning Altın Plak (Golden Vinyl) awards for these works.
In 1972, he won the Altın Mikrofon music competition with his song "Kükredi Çimenler," gaining widespread recognition. He interpreted works by folk poets such as Aşık Mahzuni Şerif, Pir Sultan Abdal, and Karacaoğlan.
Having won over 250 awards throughout his career, he founded Dostlar Orkestrası in 1974.
Edip Akbayram & Dostlar
With his music shaped by the political climate of the 1970s, Akbayram became an artist embraced by leftist circles. In 1979, he married Ayten Hanım (Akbayram), and they had two children, Ozan and Türkü.
Following the 1980 military coup, Akbayram was among the artists whose music was restricted. Between 1981 and 1988, his compositions were banned from being played on the state broadcaster TRT. One of his most well-known songs was "Bekle Bizi İstanbul," adapted from a poem by Vedat Türkali.
From the 1990s onward, he resumed his career and continued to influence audiences with songs like "Güzel Günler Göreceğiz."
In recent years, he maintained this stance and continued to take a critical position. During the 2023 Turkish general elections, he expressed his opposition to the "one-man" rule and supported the opposition alliance. He consistently spoke out against pressure on artists and stood in solidarity with dissident figures.
He voiced support for those imprisoned in the Gezi Trial, calling for justice, and remained committed to workers' rights on significant days like May 1.
When he received the Friendship Award on the 56th anniversary of the death of poet Nâzım Hikmet Ran, he responded to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's remark calling dissident artists "fake artists."
"They call us fake. I sat at home and took stock: in my 50-year artistic career, I’ve seen 10-12 presidents, 8-10 prime ministers, and countless ministers come and go. The so-called 'artist drafts' are those who refuse to bow down and pursue the truth. I consider this an honor," he said in an interview with T24.
Akbayram in the 1970s.
In a 1995 interview with Express magazine, Akbayram reflected on his rendition of Can Yücel's poem "Bizim Deniz," written for Deniz Gezmiş, a socialist revolutionary executed after the 1970 military intervention, and shared his thoughts on the political climate: "March 12 [1970 military intervention] was a period that subjected our youth, thoughts, books, intellectuals, and, most importantly, our democracy to torture under military rule. The people suppressed by Mar 12 and Sep 12 have yet to fully reclaim their identity and individuality. Young people were lined up like laundry on a clothesline.
Can Baba, with his poet's sensitivity, wrote Mare Nostrum (Bizim Deniz) for Deniz Gezmiş and his friends. This meaningful and honorable poem was beautifully composed by dear Mazlum Çimen, the son of Nesimi Çimen, who was burned alive in Sivas. It was up to me to interpret it.
In the music video, the little boy represents the innocence of Deniz's childhood. The child who played young Deniz Gezmiş is the grandson of Nesimi Çimen, whom I remember with respect. The poem has Deniz Gezmiş’s eyes in it, as well as footage from the protests of the '68 generation. But we couldn't fully express everything we wanted to. When you present something too sharp, society reacts.
I don't know how much it will reach the people. TRT doesn’t air it anyway. Private TV channels are capitalist institutions, as you know. So, we thought we shouldn't make it too sharp but rather deliver our message gradually."
Born on Dec 29, 1950, in Antep, Akbayram passed away on Mar 2, 2025 at around 7.30 pm at the University of Health Sciences Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment.
Most well-known albums
Edip Akbayram (1974) Nice Yıllara Gülüm (1982) Aldırma Gönül (1984) Dün ve Bugün (1998) Senden Haber Yok (2008)
