President Erdoğan: We will hire 37 thousand non-physician personnel

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statements at the Iftar program with healthcare workers.

Highlights from President Erdoğan's statements are as follows:

"I express my gratitude to my healthcare workers, whose total number has reached 1.5 million, serving our nation in all 81 provinces of our country. I celebrate the Medicine Day of all healthcare workers, along with physicians. I thank our minister and ministry staff for bringing us together and uniting our hearts at such a meaningful Iftar table.

"WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR EFFORTS"

Medical students risked their lives both at the front and behind the front lines during our War of Independence. We witnessed the struggles of all healthcare personnel, from professors to doctors, both during the pandemic and the February 6 earthquakes. We will never, ever forget the efforts and labor of you, our brothers and sisters. May God be pleased with you and our entire healthcare community. I thank you once again on behalf of my country and my nation.

"THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN SAVING THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF OUR PEOPLE"

I would like to state that the effort you showed during difficult days will always be appreciated by our nation. The Başakşehir Çam and Sakura Hospital, where we are currently located, also had an impact on our managing the fight against the pandemic better than countries with better resources than us, including America and Europe. These hospitals, which the opposition in our country tried to block in every way, have been instrumental in saving the lives of thousands of our people.

INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE NEEDS

Although we have overcome the pandemic, we continue to experience its negative consequences. There has been an increase in the society's healthcare needs after the pandemic. We are taking different steps to resolve this system, which has created an additional burden on our healthcare services for the last two years.

"25 OF OUR HOSPITALS HAVE ENTERED SERVICE"

With our physicians embracing our efforts, we will hopefully reduce the number of patients by ensuring that our people reach effective treatment in the right place and in the right way. With an understanding that puts people at the center and values human life and health, we have signed many reforms in the field of health in 22 years. We have done a lot of work in a wide range of areas, from increasing the number of hospitals, polyclinics, and health centers to bringing unique projects like city hospitals into the health sector. With home healthcare services, which we implemented for the first time during our term, we are bringing healthcare services to the doorsteps of 2 million 753 thousand of our people today. 25 of our city hospitals have entered service.

A total of 25 city hospitals with 37 thousand 367 beds have entered service, and the construction of 11 city hospitals with a total of 13 thousand 950 beds is ongoing. When all are completed, we will have 45 city hospitals with a total capacity of 57 thousand beds. If we were to try to explain the revolutions we have made in health one by one, we would not only finish the Iftar but also the Sahur here.

"OUR PRINCIPLE ON THIS ISSUE IS ZERO TOLERANCE"

In order to respond to changing needs and expectations, we aim to strengthen the public sector in the field of health, increase the quality of health delivery, prevent unnecessary drug use, and reduce interest in tobacco products, as well as things like obesity and technological addiction in the coming period. I state that our sensitivity, which is already at the highest level regarding violence against healthcare workers, has not changed. As in every field, we have zero tolerance for violence in health as well. Our principle on this issue is zero tolerance.

NON-PHYSICIAN PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT

Hopefully, in 2025, we will further strengthen our healthcare organization with 37 thousand non-physician personnel we will hire."