Why did doctors go on strike in Alanya?
Doctors in Alanya Explained Why They Went on Strike.
"As the Physicians' Union, today, together with all healthcare workers, doctors, and nurses, we are drawing attention to the serious issues in the healthcare system. Healthcare workers are not only struggling with the challenges of providing medical services but also with the increasing pressures and losses that come every day. The healthcare system has reached a crisis point where not only healthcare workers but also patients are suffering. Our main issues are as follows:
1. Violence: The Daily Threat to Healthcare Workers
Violence against healthcare workers is one of the greatest threats. Every day, countless doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers face violence from patients or their relatives, causing significant psychological and physical harm. Studies show that healthcare workers are 16 times more likely to face violence than those in other service sectors. A study found that 95% of doctors have experienced violence at some point in their careers.
Unfortunately, as doctors, we have lost many colleagues due to violence in healthcare. Our esteemed colleague, cardiologist Ekrem Karakaya, was murdered by a patient’s relative who blamed him for the death of his mother. Ersin Aslan, a 30-year-old chest surgeon, was killed on duty by a violent individual who blamed him for the death of his 85-year-old grandfather, who had lung cancer. One of our nurses was brutally attacked by four assailants, being kicked while lying on the ground. Despite informing them she was pregnant, the violence continued.
Violence against doctors, healthcare workers, and even an unborn child in a pregnant woman’s belly is not only a crime against healthcare workers but also a betrayal of society as a whole. Violence in healthcare has turned into terrorism. On average, 80 healthcare workers are subjected to violence every day".
2. We Work Hard, But We Don't Get the Reward We Deserve!
Doctors' rights have been declining for years; salaries and working conditions are getting worse instead of improving. Salaries should now be determined based on the only item that will be considered for retirement, and additional arrangements should be made for risky specialties and challenging regions. Furthermore, doctors should be paid a single pension that ensures they do not have to work in retirement.
3. Our Working Conditions Are Unbearably Tough
With the current MHRS system, where doctors see patients for 3-5 minutes, it is not beneficial for either doctors or patients. This pressure not only prevents patients from receiving a correct diagnosis and treatment but also places healthcare workers, especially doctors, in a difficult position, leading to burnout syndrome.
4. Politics and Popular Culture Should Not View Healthcare Services as a "Carrot" Extended to Society!
Healthcare services are being used as tools for political and popular culture. All healthcare workers, especially doctors, are being perceived as "servants," ignoring scientific criteria, and a service approach based on stirred-up and commercial demands is being imposed.
This perspective minimizes the value of doctors, leading to character assassination of doctors in society and creating the ground for violence in healthcare.
5. On-call Burdens and Economic Difficulties
Excessive on-call duties harm doctors' health, reduce the quality of services, and create room for errors. For example, according to the Road Traffic Law in Turkey, a driver's continuous driving time should not exceed 9 hours. However, doctors are forced to perform surgeries after 24-hour shifts. This forces doctors into making mistakes, endangering citizens' health, and negatively impacting the quality of service. Despite this heavy workload, doctors are paid ridiculous amounts for on-call duties. For example, a healthcare worker who cleans the operating room receives three times more on-call pay than the doctor performing the surgery.
6. Insufficient Salary Increases Force Doctors to Live Below the Poverty Line
While we all feel the impact of inflation in our daily lives, the January increases in the minimum wage and public sector salaries have been a major disappointment. These increases do not even compensate for the damage caused by inflation, and there is effectively no real salary raise. It is unrealistic to expect doctors to produce quality healthcare while struggling to make ends meet!
7. Astronomical Lawsuit Settlements Have Turned into Persecution
Lawsuits filed against doctors for astronomical amounts, such as 20, 30, or 40 million, demotivate them and lay the foundation for defensive medical practices.
Proposed Solutions:
• Legal regulations should be made for effective combat against violence.
• Doctors' salaries and retirement rights should be improved.
• The time allocated for patient care should be brought in line with global standards.
• On-call payments should be increased, and working hours should be adjusted to suit human health.
