Birlik Sağlık Sen reacts to 'armed violence' allegations at an İzmir hospital: 'They cannot be expected to provide service'

Birlik Sağlık Sen İzmir Branch President Berna Boran made a statement following allegations that an individual raided İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital with a pump-action shotgun.

The following statements were included in the announcement:

"The latest address for the news of violence in healthcare, which we hear from every corner of our country almost every day, is İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital. In this city hospital, which was built using the build-lease-operate-transfer system, i.e., public-private partnership, service disruptions occur constantly because the contractor firm does not employ sufficient personnel!

There are 5-6 emergency units, especially in the emergency department. When our colleagues working in these emergency services call security, they cannot arrive within 5-6 minutes. They make statements like, 'What is the point of security arriving after the incident has already occurred?'"

'WE ARE EVEN MORE WORRIED!'

The fact that this security vulnerability has still not been prevented since its opening is worrying our healthcare workers serving in the hospital and us even more. According to the allegations, it is unacceptable for an armed individual to reach the ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) department on the 9th floor of the hospital!

As our union, BİRLİK SAĞLIK SEN, we have tried to announce the disruptions and deficiencies regarding the hospital to the public through members of the press since the day İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital opened, and even before it opened. It is unacceptable for a dangerous, armed person to walk around the hospital freely and threaten staff.

We have repeatedly voiced the security and other personnel shortages that are under the responsibility of the contractor firm. Unfortunately, no measures have been taken! Our Ministry of Health must abandon stopgap measures and take realistic and effective steps.

Who or who are responsible for the trauma experienced by our healthcare workers suffering from burnout syndrome? Patient (customer) satisfaction should not be the only consideration; it must be realized that healthcare workers are also human beings, mothers, and children.

I convey my best wishes to all healthcare workers and my colleagues who were subjected to the painful incident that took place last night, on my own behalf and on behalf of my union, and we promise that we will fight to the end so that we do not receive such sad news again."

'THEY ARE NOT SINCERE'

Birlik Sağlık Sen General President Ahmet Doğruyol also stated in his announcement that the Ministry of Health officials, primarily the relevant ministries and authorities, are not sincere regarding violence in healthcare, and that the way to prevent violence in healthcare is to take deterrent measures.

'QUALITY SERVICE CANNOT BE PROVIDED UNDER THREAT AND PRESSURE'

Emphasizing that the institutions and organizations that do not take measures are as responsible as the person who carried out the act, Doğruyol continued as follows:

"The way to prevent violence in healthcare is to take effective measures. It should not be forgotten that our healthcare workers are civil servants on duty. Our healthcare workers are the same as the judges and prosecutors in our courthouses and the police in our police stations. A ministry that makes its personnel get complained about via the 'ALO 184 Complaint' line cannot be expected to protect its personnel.

The incident at İzmir City Hospital is quite significant in terms of the point that violence has reached. The main party responsible for the incident at İzmir City Hospital is the contractor firm. The responsibility for disruptions and deficiencies in services such as security, transport personnel, and cleaning lies with the contractor firm. It is not appropriate for the Provincial Health Directorate to try to cover up the issue in the statement it made.

Our healthcare workers cannot be expected to provide quality service under the pressure of violence and threats. Our delivery of health services is based on citizen satisfaction. Of course, let our citizens be satisfied. However, it should not be forgotten that our healthcare workers are also citizens of this country and that they must provide health services in environments where their life safety is ensured."

We told you, you didn't understand.
Our healthcare workers are being held hostage with a pump-action shotgun at İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital, and you are trying to hide it.
Healthcare workers are locking themselves in rooms out of fear, and you are watching.

A psychopath, on the 9th floor of İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital, ENT... pic.twitter.com/QMRnFpPiVp

— Ahmet DOĞRUYOL (@dogruyol35) April 23, 2024

WHAT HAPPENED?

On April 23, it was alleged that a suspect, who reached the 9th floor of the hospital with a pump-action shotgun in his hand, held a healthcare worker hostage. No one died or was injured in the incident, where other healthcare workers locked themselves in rooms out of fear.

Birlik Sağlık Sen General President Ahmet Doğruyol announced the incident in question on his social media account. In the post made by Doğruyol, it was observed that the healthcare workers fleeing from the armed attacker tried to build a barricade with chairs in the room they locked themselves in.

Ahmet Doğruyol, in his post regarding the hostage-taking incident, tagged the Ministry of Health and Minister Fahrettin Koca and stated the following:

"We told you, you didn't understand. Our healthcare workers are being held hostage with a pump-action shotgun at İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital, and you are trying to hide it. Healthcare workers are locking themselves in rooms out of fear, and you are watching. How can a psychopath walk around with a shotgun in the ENT department on the 9th floor of İzmir Bayraklı City Hospital? Where is security until he reaches the 9th floor? Thank God there is no loss of life. Know that those who do not take measures and those who turn a blind eye are as responsible as the culprit."

PROVINCIAL HEALTH DIRECTORATE MADE A STATEMENT

The İzmir Provincial Health Directorate denied the allegations that an individual raided the Bayraklı City Hospital with a pump-action shotgun in İzmir.

In the written statement made by the İzmir Provincial Health Directorate, it was said, "In the incident in question, a patient of ours who received health services at the hospital some time ago came to our hospital again around 11:00. Due to a report that he would cause a disturbance, he was taken under control by security forces in the hospital garden, and a weapon was found in his vehicle. The individual's examination was carried out under supervision. Subsequently, following the process at the police station, he was released by the prosecutor's office as there was no complaint against him.

The fact that the aforementioned person came to the hospital again at 17:30 on the same day with the request to meet with the doctors due to bleeding at the surgery site caused anxiety, and the hospital security guards did not allow him to meet and removed the person from the hospital in a controlled manner. During this time, the doctors were also informed.

The person was handed over to the police accompanied by security personnel; his procedures at the police station are ongoing. The allegations that the person in question entered the hospital with a shotgun and held healthcare workers hostage do not reflect the truth.''