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The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) has requested the Social Security Institution (SGK) to cancel a circular that classified Covid-19 as a "disease" rather than an "occupational disease/workplace accident."
The circular was against the Social Security and Universal Health Insurance Law No. 5510 and the Law on Occupational Health and Safety No. 6331, the DİSK said in a letter to the SGK.
The SGK's circular dated May 8 states that healthcare provisions for the insured who are exposed to the Covid-19 outbreak should be for "disease," citing the definition of sickness in Article 15 of the Law No. 5510:
Sicknesses of the insurance holder under items (a) and (b) of paragraph one of Article 4, other than work accident or occupational disease and which causes the incapacity to work in the individual are sickness statuses.
The DİSK mentioned the following provisions of the relevant laws:
DİSK also stated that due to the postulate that "the Covid-19 disease cannot be considered an occupational disease," SGK will not be able to carry out relevant investigations objectively. It added that the SGK is obliged to carry out such investigations upon applications and complaints by insurance holders and rights holders.
The SGK's "binding determinations that would turn into orders" and "inferences far from objective criteria" are also not in line with the legislation, the DİSK further stated.
According to the Health and Safety Labor Watch, at least 128 workers died of Covid-19 in the first two months of the epidemic in Turkey. Pointing out the lack of precautions in workplaces, the report had said, "Production continues, occupational homicides caused by Covid-19 increase." (HA/VK)