72 people had lost their lives: Ministry said 'no budget' for reinforcing hospital in Hatay

It has emerged that between 2021 and 2022, there was repeated correspondence between the Chief Physician's Office, the Provincial Health Directorate, and the Ministry of Health regarding the reinforcement of the Hatay Training and Research Hospital building, which collapsed in the February 6 Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, resulting in the loss of 72 lives.

However, it was learned that the ministry stated there was 'no budget to reinforce the building'.

REPEATED CORRESPONDENCE

Sözcü columnist İsmail Saymaz shared details from the investigation file launched against former Provincial Health Director Mustafa Hambolat and Hatay Training and Research Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Yunus Doğramacı. Saymaz included the correspondence in his column:

“I saw that between 2021 and 2022, there was repeated correspondence between the Chief Physician's Office, the Provincial Health Directorate, and the Ministry of Health regarding the reinforcement of the Hatay Training and Research Hospital annex building. It turns out all three institutions knew that all blocks were found to be inadequate and that the building either had to be demolished or reinforced. Despite this, the ministry refused to provide 997,690,000 TL for the earthquake reinforcement report, saying 'there is no budget'. Ten months before the earthquake, it was written to the Hatay Training and Research Hospital to 'cover it from the revolving fund'. In other words, they were told to 'fend for yourselves!'”