Eskişehir-Bilecik Medical Chamber (EBTO) and Health and Social Service Workers' Union (SES) Branch organized a press conference regarding the work stoppage action to be held on November 5-6-7 across the country against the “Family Medicine Contract and Payment Regulation” published on October 30. 

 

Speaking at the meeting held at EBTO building, EBTO Chair Nazan Aksaray stated that the regulation in question is “degrading” for physicians and health workers. “It says that physicians cannot prescribe even the most basic medicines above a certain number of patients, even if necessary. It ignores the independence of the medical profession and the autonomy of the physician. It is not possible for us to accept this. What does this mean for our patients? Forcing our patients, who need these medicines for their treatment, to go to the hospital, to struggle for appointments that cannot be found, to pay extra co-payments, means delaying the treatment of their diseases,” she said.  

 

'NO VALUE FOR DOCTOR, HEALTH WORKER, PATIENT'

 

Pointing out that physicians, health workers and patients have been devalued in the health system created, Aksaray says, “They have brought health to a very bad point in 20 years. They don't know what to do anymore. With the patchwork of regulations they issue every day, they are making life more difficult for patients and health workers. They clearly cannot manage health. Since the regulation was published, the Minister of Health has been trying to convince the public through social media and the press that this regulation is a good thing. This is a perception study.”

 

'TURN BACK FROM THE MISTAKE'

 

Stating that there are still family health centers in the earthquake zone that are trying to provide services in containers and that they have difficulty in finding even the most basic medicines, Aksaray continued as follows: “Turn back from your mistake immediately. Do not add new problems to the problems. While you should put an end to violence, do not nurture the environment that creates violence. While you should value physicians and health workers, do not devalue them even more. Don't you see that our young physicians and health workers, whom we have trained through various efforts and struggles, are looking for the solution and hope in other countries where they are valued?”