Health in Turkey: Doctor crisis is deepening as many go abroad

There is a problem of specialist doctors in many cities in Turkey, which has an intensive migration of doctors abroad due to the policies of the government. The decreasing number od specialists cause a downgrade situation in helath services provided by the state.

There is a health crisis in Turkey due to the attitude of the government towards health workers based on the attitude of “If they go, let them go”. Due to violence in health and anxiety about the future, many health workers are forced to go abroad. Due to this situation, health services cannot be provided in some health branches in many cities of Turkey, while there are serious deficiencies in some departments.

There is no rheumatologist in Ordu, obstetrician and otolaryngologist in some districts of Çanakkale, and hematologist in Kırıkkale. The emergency department in Düzce, where the faculty of medicine is located, is entrusted to trainee doctors.

TTB General Secretary Dr. Vedat Bulut stated that there were problems, especially in the side branches. Bulut said, ”If the conditions of physicians are not improved, there will be bigger problems.” SES Şişli Branch Co-President Abuzer Aslan also said, ”They say they have built hospitals like palaces’, but we are losing qualified medics.”