Health Minister Memişoğlu: By dismantling the 'Newborn Gang', we have weeded out our bad apples

Responding to questions about the current agenda during a live broadcast on A Haber, Memişoğlu stated that they refer to the newborn gang as a 'gang that has not received its share of humanity'.

Expressing both his sadness and anger regarding the newborn gang, Memişoğlu denied allegations that the investigation conducted in 2016 was closed by the Provincial Health Directorate.

Explaining that he became the Istanbul Health Director in October 2016 and that this investigation began in January of the same year, Memişoğlu said, "They say, 'He became director, he closed this investigation, they have known about this since 2016.' This is a complete lie and slander. This investigation was initiated by the ministry, by the ministry's chief inspectors, in January 2016. As a result of this investigation, an inspector was assigned."

Stating that the inspector conducted the investigation, came to Istanbul to inspect the hospitals, and had a report prepared through experts, Memişoğlu noted that he concluded this investigation on November 17.

Stating that he personally asked the ministry, "What happened to the investigation?", Memişoğlu expressed that he received the response that the investigation was concluded and there was no criminal element or action to be taken.

"THEY ARE SLANDERING"

Memişoğlu said, "My sadness is this; they are unfortunately creating disinformation and slandering by making it seem as if this is related to today's investigation. How can a provincial director close an investigation conducted by the ministry's chief inspectors and inspectors themselves? It is not within my scope. Closing it is not within the authority of the provincial director. To say this is ignorance and an injustice done to us."

Noting that complaints were received after 2016, apart from the inspector's investigation, and that those complaints were examined through routine inspections, Memişoğlu said, "People should know this. These actions were carried out by an organized crime organization, and this organization unfortunately built its network and system on evil."

"WE LEARNED THAT BABIES WERE BEING KILLED ON JUNE 28"

Pointing out that with the system established by the gang, another epicrisis report was shown as soon as inspectors arrived, Memişoğlu used the expression, "This organized crime organization, this gang, has used many parameters and evils that would not cross your mind in the ordinary flow of life."

Memişoğlu said, "The reason I call them a 'gang that has not received its share of humanity' is because they did these kinds of things to infants. This is what saddens us. We could not catch them despite various inspections throughout our directorship. Why? Because this is an organized gang."

Stating that approximately 54 thousand inspections were carried out but that it was impossible to solve what was happening during those inspections, Memişoğlu explained that they contacted the Financial Crimes Branch, wrote to the prosecutor's office for technical surveillance, and obtained a wiretapping order.

Noting that they did not think it was possible for babies to be killed and that they initially thought of the incident as fraud, Memişoğlu recalled that technical surveillance began on June 20, 2023, and a confidentiality order was placed on the file.

"THEY OBTAINED THE EVIDENCE CONTAINING THE TAPES THROUGH OUR INSPECTIONS"

For those who ask, "What did you do while these babies were dying?", Memişoğlu noted that they learned that babies were being killed on June 28, 2024.

Stating that raids were carried out under the instruction of the prosecutor's office, Memişoğlu said, "On the night of September 25, we suddenly went into the field and had extraordinary inspections carried out at all hospitals because the prosecutor's office said, 'We need evidence.' They obtained the evidence containing the current tapes through our inspections."

Memişoğlu, who also included examples from the audio recordings in the indictment during the program, stated that apart from 3-4 people, no one knew that the suspects were being listened to.

Underlining that an attempt is being made to create a false perception in society and that this should not happen, Memişoğlu said, "Our health system is one of the best in the world. Our neonatologists are also among the most successful in the world. My sadness is that this gang I mentioned is lowering the trust regarding this."

"A PERCEPTION IS BEING CREATED AS IF WE WATCHED THE BABIES"

Minister Memişoğlu said, "By dismantling this gang, we have weeded out our own bad actors, our bad apples. We are pursuing everyone involved in the health system, and we will continue to do so."

Noting that the survival rate of premature babies in Turkey is over 95 percent, Memişoğlu emphasized that these rates are the standard of the most developed countries in the world.

Memişoğlu stated that the confidentiality order on the file was lifted on May 9, and provided information that the causal link began to be examined at the end of June.

Explaining that the tapes along with police records were given to the inspectors on May 9, Memişoğlu said, "We reached all the documents on September 3, 2024, and for the first time as the Ministry of Health, before the public, we learned on September 16 that the babies died due to negligence. So we are not waiting here, a perception is being created as if we watched the babies, that is why I am saying this."

"NO ABUSE WAS FOUND IN OUR 112 SYSTEM"

Memişoğlu said, "The indictment is published immediately on October 16. On October 18, as soon as the rapporteur arrives, because the ministry is also examining it, the inspection board looks at the 5,000-page file. On October 18, 2024, the day the closure decision was made, we closed all the hospitals."

Answering questions about the 112 system, Memişoğlu stated that 112 works entirely with an electronic system and under control, and continued as follows:

"No abuse was found in our 112 system. This is a very exceptional, very organized crime organization. It is a mistake to evaluate this across the entire health system. It is ill-intentioned. We will always find the bad apples among us, and when we do, we will punish them."

Memişoğlu said, "What conscience thinks we could watch while a baby dies there? They have left the thieves and the scoundrels, they have left the murderers, and they are slandering the people who work day and night to expose this gang."

Stating that he has dealt with lawlessness, injustice, and illegality throughout his life and will continue to do so, Memişoğlu said, "I tell people this; whoever it is, we are cleaning up these kinds of illegalities and bad examples in a health system that offers such a good health system and has such a good infrastructure. We will continue to clean them up, this is the example of it."

When asked about the allegations that the Ministry of Health did not follow the case, Memişoğlu replied, "Oh, is that possible? I mean, we have pursued this gang so much, we have worked on it, we have had the gang caught. Those who come there for political show are not in any part of this process of ours."

When asked about his thoughts on the evaluations that he should resign after the process, Memişoğlu replied, "By God, I guess they want my resignation because I had them (the gang) caught. Of course, I will not resign. There is no such thing."

Drawing attention to the technological infrastructure in hospitals, Memişoğlu said, "When you go to city hospitals, these were unimaginable. Health investment infrastructures. We will establish incubation centers under them. At the same time, we will make them produce science. We will conduct research in them and produce new materials, these are our goals. These are dangerous goals for some, but we will succeed."