CHP's Taşcıer calls on SGK and AKP: 'Turn back from this mistake'

Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chair and Ankara MP Gamze Taşcıer has reacted to the Social Security Institution's (SGK) decision to end its support for waiving medication co-payments in the earthquake zone. 

Calling on the ruling party and the SGK, Taşcıer stated, "Our earthquake-affected citizens have not yet been able to get back on their feet, either financially or emotionally."

"IS THE SGK REDUCED TO RELYING ON CO-PAYMENTS FROM EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS?"

Taşcıer's written statement on the matter is as follows:

"With the decision taken by the Social Security Institution following the February 6 earthquakes, General Health Insurance holders and their dependents living in the disaster zone were exempt from co-payments for physician and dentist examinations in outpatient treatment, medication co-payments for outpatient treatment, and medical supply co-payments when receiving services from all contracted healthcare providers, provided that a 'natural disaster' provision was obtained. Additionally, the mandatory static IP requirement for pharmacies in the disaster zone had been lifted. Because the negative effects of the earthquake continue in the provinces of Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Malatya, as well as the İslâhiye and Nurdağı districts of Gaziantep province, these regulations had been extended for another four months. However, despite the fact that the effects of the earthquake persist, our citizens are still healing their wounds, and reconstruction efforts in our cities are ongoing, these practices were not extended as of November 30 and have come to an end, despite calls to do so. I am calling on the ruling party and the Social Security Institution: turn back from this mistake. Our earthquake-affected citizens have not yet been able to get back on their feet, either financially or emotionally. Many people still do not have a home to put a roof over their heads. It is their right to continue receiving the state's support. However, it is clear that the government no longer sees a need to support earthquake victims. I ask: is the Social Security Institution reduced to relying on co-payments from earthquake victims in a few provinces? Have you set your sights on the pockets of people who have already lost their families, friends, loved ones, and everything they owned?"

"EXTEND THE PRACTICE FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS"

"Today, many pharmacies in the earthquake zone continue to serve in containers. Infrastructure problems have not yet been solved, and there are frequent power outages during the day. Given this situation, imposing a static IP requirement on pharmacies is not a fair approach. Pharmacists in the region continue to work with great devotion for public health despite difficult conditions. While these people should be thanked, making their work more difficult is not consistent with fairness. We demand that this stubbornness be abandoned and that both the exemption from co-payments and the removal of the static IP requirement be extended for at least another 6 months."