‘The Only Solution is to Test and Isolate’

Ali Fazıl Kasap, Habip Eksik, Arslan Kabukçuoğlu

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Originating in Wuhan, China in late December 2019, coronavirus reached Turkey on March 11. While the virus has claimed the lives of over 10 thousand people around the world so far, the current death toll in Turkey is four, according to the latest statement made by Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca late in the evening yesterday (March 19).

While the number of cases and casualties in Turkey is gradually increasing, Minister Koca says that necessary measures are being taken against the virus in Turkey. Considering that the outbreak is not likely to end in the near future, we inevitably start to question whether Turkey has a health policy in the face of such extraordinary situations as epidemics.

With this question in mind, we have talked to three opposition MPs, who are also members of the Parliamentary Commission on Health, Family, Labor and Social Affairs, namely main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Ali Fazıl Kasap, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Habip Eksik and İYİ Party MP Arslan Kabukçuoğlu.

All three MPs have noted that even though Health Minister Fahrettin Koca is trying to do his best in the face of the pandemic, the state has failed to exert willpower against the outbreak.

CHP: Steps were taken late

CHP's Health Commission Member Dr. Ali Fazıl Kasap has stressed that Turkey does not have a state policy against epidemics and added:

"There were some important measures that had to be taken at the very beginning such as informing citizens with public service announcements and isolating the ones coming from abroad. None of this was done. While the disease was spreading in Europe, international arrivals and departures were happening quite uncontrollably.

'There are still problems with arrivals from abroad'

"Turkey closed its gates to China and Iran, but it was late to close the gates to Europe. Though people were supposedly scanned at airports, it was not enough, isolation should have been done in every possible way, people should have been informed and controlled.

"A couple of days before the first case was confirmed in Turkey, President and MPs returned from abroad and attended meetings with hundreds of others. These are very serious neglects and these neglects still continue today. Those arriving in Turkey from Europe just mingle with the public without being informed in any way.

'Curfew should be declared'

"Moreover, they say that 10,000 people have been tested so far, but this test rate is very low. We should not act with the worry that 'the higher the number of tests gets, the more people will be diagnosed with the virus.' We should not make things all the graver with such a worry.

"The number of tests should be increased. Today, a quick test is coming from South Korea. It needs to be distributed all across the country. A curfew should be definitely declared or going out to the street should be restricted.

'People still rushing to hospitals, it needs to be stopped'

"Some people are still going to Family Health Centers to have their babies vaccinated. This needs to be stopped as soon as possible, postponing the vaccines of children for two months will not lead to any problems.

"People are still rushing to hospitals, this needs to be prevented. The ones suspected to have the virus should not go to hospital themselves, but inform the medical teams about their conditions and they should be taken from their homes by the health personnel.

"What needs to be first done now to prevent the spread of this epidemic to the whole country is test and isolation. If the outbreak reaches a critical point, even the number of beds in our hospitals, let alone intensive care units, will not be enough. We have to act with this in mind."

HDP: Our recommendations not taken into account

HDP's Parliamentary Health Commission Member Dr. Habip Eksik has noted that in the meetings held before the onset of the outbreak, commission members were insistent about the measures that need to be taken.

Eksik has said: "After things got serious, a meeting was held with the commission members and a case was announced after that.

"The most important step taken so far is the formation of the Science Board. But, most of the steps that we recommended and that need to be taken immediately have not yet been taken.

'If it is contracted in prisons, we cannot curb it'

"The number of tests must be increased, the discharged physicians and health workers must start working again, private hospitals should be expropriated, ill and old prisoners as well as mothers with children behind bars must be released as soon as possible.

"We are not aware of the gravity of the situation, but if the disease is contracted in prisons, we cannot curb it. We are talking about 300 thousand people here. The health system cannot bear it, which will mean a great disaster. Also, the ministry should disclose the provinces where people are diagnosed with the virus and measures need to be taken accordingly."

İYİ Party: State must exert willpower

İYİ Party MP Arslan Kabukçuoğlu has also told bianet:

"We, as the MPs of other parties, insistently keep offering our recommendations and saying what needs to be done at the commission. However, there is no such thing as a willpower exerted by the state.

"Mr. Health Minister is trying to do his best, but the President does not support him. What needs to be urgently done by the President is to convene the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), all university presidents and deans and to give authority to universities and medical doctors.

'The unemployed and workers are ignored'

"There are over 150 thousand doctors in Turkey and if the state exerts its will, we have the power to cope with this disease. But if the state does not exert its will, we might suffer great harm, especially our health workers.    

 "The President unveiled an economy package, but there is nothing concerning workers or the unemployed. There are only measures for employers." (RT/SD)