Health crisis in the Turkish Armed Forces: Who will stop the bleeding!
Physicians assigned to the TAF are anxious because they have not received combat surgery training. Concerned that they will be unable to provide adequate service when necessary, the physicians also face difficulties as they have not received "maneuver/operation" training. The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) wrote to the Ministry of National Defense regarding the issue, stating that situations inconsistent with the experience and responsibilities of newly graduated physicians are arising. CHP Deputy Chairman responsible for the Ministry of National Defense, Bağcıoğlu, reacted to the situation by stating, "We are the only country without a military health system."
Nagihan Yılkın
Nagihan YILKIN 12punto.com.tr
Following the July 15 coup attempt, the closure of 32 military hospitals in 26 provinces has led to a serious health crisis within the Turkish Armed Forces. Physicians assigned to the Turkish Armed Forces are concerned that they will be unable to provide adequate service in necessary situations because they have not been given "combat surgery" training. Furthermore, doctors state that they struggle in cross-border missions because they have not been provided with "maneuver/operation" training.
‘CAUSES FAILURE TO PROVIDE NECESSARY SERVICE’
The Turkish Medical Association has taken action on the matter. In a letter sent to the Ministry of National Defense General Directorate of Military Health Services, the TTB included the following statements:
“Applications made to our union by physicians who have recently graduated from medical school and physicians temporarily assigned to military regions report loss of rights and problems experienced due to ambiguity in the legislation. The expectation that physicians who have just started their profession will participate in cross-border military activities after being assigned to military units, especially considering that combat surgery is not included in the medical school curriculum, leaves them under a responsibility that is inconsistent with their experience and training, and also causes the necessary service not to be provided to those in need of health services. Although the duty to ‘carry out the health and veterinary services of the Ministry in peace and war’ belongs to your General Directorate in accordance with Article 339/C of Presidential Decree No. 1 on the Presidential Organization, these appointments and assignments continue to be made by the Ministry of Health outside the provisions for inter-institutional appointments.”
“PREVENTS ADEQUATE HEALTH SERVICE”
Retired Admiral Yankı Bağcıoğlu, CHP Deputy Chairman responsible for the Ministry of National Defense, stated in his explanation to 12punto: “The abolition of GATA and military hospitals, in other words, the Military Health System, prevents the provision of adequate health services to Turkish Armed Forces personnel, especially during maneuver activities.”
“WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY WITHOUT A MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM”
Calling for an urgent reversal of this mistake, Bağcıoğlu stated, “Training of ‘Military Health Personnel’ must be restarted. The lack of training for civilian physicians in combat surgery, which has been brought to the agenda by the Turkish Medical Association, is a serious problem that cannot be ignored. Our military health system, built with years of experience, provided great support to the maneuver activities of our soldiers in the operational field. Our soldiers felt safe. Despite conducting such active maneuver activities in the world, Turkey is the only state that does not have a military health system.”