Reactions to the Family Physicians Regulation
Family Physicians who decided to go on strike against the new Family Physicians Regulation of the Ministry of Health held a press statement in Izmir. Family Physicians Association Izmir Branch President Muteber ColakIn a statement made on behalf of physicians, he emphasized that the workload on family physicians should be reduced and quality health services should be provided in order to protect public health. Çolak stated that the Family Physician Payment and Contract Regulation has led the family physician system to a serious collapse.
Work Stoppage Action and Solidarity
Having decided to go on strike on November 5, 6 and 7, many unions where health workers are organized, such as the Family Physicians Association, İzmir Medical Chamber, HEP-SEN, Birlik Sağlık-SEN, SES, Genel Sağlık-İŞ, came together in front of the İzmir Provincial Health Directorate and made a press statement.
Family Medicine Has Fallen Into Collapse
Muteber Çolak said the following in his speech: “We are trying to explain to the Ministry of Health that this regulation has destroyed the family medicine system. The new Minister of Health Kemal Memisoglu, has been saying since the day he took office that he will increase the quality of the family medicine system. However, what he means by quality is to disrupt the functioning of the system and render it inoperable.” Çolak also drew attention to the problems experienced in healthcare and increasing violence, saying, “What happened during their 22-year rule is obvious. We all experienced together what the transformation program in healthcare and the privatizations cost.”
“You Are Breaking the Healing Hand”
Çolak said, “We, who provide primary preventive health services, play an indispensable role in terms of public health. We protect the future of this country, its children and public health. Family physicians have a great contribution to the elimination of diseases such as polio and measles. However, the Ministry of Health claims that the family medicine system will become more qualified with the new regulation. It tells us that we have been providing unqualified services until now and that the quality of service will increase with this regulation. So how will the quality increase by restricting our prescriptions? Will being evaluated by patient satisfaction increase the quality in this case? While the point that violence in health has reached is obvious, the government policies towards physicians are also clear. Will calculating salaries with complex scores using the Sigma formula increase the quality of the service? Is it possible to increase the quality of family medicine by eliminating our job security? Are you looking for a solution on this issue?”
The Regulation Should Be Repealed Immediately
The Izmir Family Physicians Association and the Izmir Medical Chamber called on the Ministry of Health to immediately withdraw this regulation and prepare a new regulation in line with the views of family physicians. The physicians stated that their struggle to protect public health will continue with determination.
