CHP's Pala asks Ministry about 'measles' for the 4th time: Why is the number of diagnosed cases not being disclosed?
CHP's Kayıhan Pala, who has previously submitted three parliamentary questions requesting the Ministry of Health to provide information on measles cases in Turkey, has submitted his 4th parliamentary question. In his question, Pala asked, "Why is the number of cases diagnosed with measles not being disclosed?"
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Republican People's Party (CHP) Bursa Deputy and Public Health Professor Dr. Kayıhan Pala has submitted a parliamentary question regarding measles cases to the Ministry of Health for the 4th time.
In his statement regarding the parliamentary question, Pala pointed out that the disease is seen in children and can cause serious illnesses and complications, reminding that some cases can result in death.
Drawing on data from the World Health Organization, Pala noted that the number of measles cases in Turkey is increasing, stating, "While there were 51 cases in 2021, this number rose to 127 in 2022. In 2023, it reached epidemic levels, with 5,004 people diagnosed with measles. The number of people diagnosed in the first five months of 2024 is 1,104. However, the Ministry of Health is not making any statements regarding this data. The Ministry has not published the 2023 Health Statistics Yearbook, despite 8 months having passed. For this reason, with 4 months left until the end of 2024, there is no data published by the Ministry of Health even regarding the number of measles cases and immunization rates for 2023. We are deprived of data for a period of about 20 months," he said.
"THE MINISTRY MUST BE TRANSPARENT"
CHP's Pala, who asked the Ministry of Health for national data on measles in his 3rd parliamentary question and has not yet received a response, said the following:
"The increase in measles cases observed in our country in recent years has also manifested itself in Bursa; measles has begun to be diagnosed in adults, including health workers, in addition to children. It is known that three doctors in Bursa were diagnosed with measles this year and were taken under treatment. For this reason, I asked Minister Memişoğlu about the number of patients diagnosed in Bursa, the number of infected health workers, the filiation processes related to measles, and the measures taken to protect against infectious diseases. The Ministry of Health needs to share the data and be transparent. It is clear that we need answers regarding what is being done about infectious diseases in order to protect against diseases and intervene in the epidemic."
CHP's Pala directed the following questions to the Ministry regarding measles in Bursa:
How many people were diagnosed with measles in Bursa in the first seven months of 2024? What is the age distribution of those diagnosed with measles? What is the vaccination status of the measles cases?
What is the number of health workers diagnosed with measles in Turkey in 2023 and the first seven months of 2024? What is the distribution of these individuals by province and health profession?
How is filiation carried out regarding measles? What is the number of filiation teams by province? Which health professionals are included in the filiation teams?
What measures has your Ministry taken to protect health workers from measles and other infectious diseases?