He had been asked to resign after the newborn scandal: Minister Memişoğlu defended himself

 The trial process regarding the newborn gang, described as the largest criminal organization ever faced in the field of healthcare in Turkey, has begun. Hearings in the investigation, which started over allegations that they caused the deaths of newborn babies to receive money from the Social Security Institution (SGK), also began the day before yesterday.

The gang had become a major public issue in October when gang members threatened the prosecutor conducting the investigation in his office, and footage of the threat emerged.

Since that day, the opposition has been calling for the resignation of Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu. Before becoming minister, Memişoğlu served as the provincial health director in Istanbul, where the scandal took place. The opposition argues that he should resign both because he was the provincial health director at the time and because he is currently the minister.

MEMİŞOĞLU PROTESTED 

Minister Memişoğlu attended the TBMM Plan and Budget Committee meetings yesterday for his ministry's budget discussions. He once again faced calls for his resignation from the opposition. CHP deputies protested the Minister's presentation in the morning and did not listen to it.

Minister Memişoğlu stated that a financial investigation began in January 2016 and that no findings indicating harm to babies were encountered. The Minister explained that the investigation in question was submitted to the Ministry of Health's Audit Services Presidency on November 17, 2016, and that the investigation was closed on November 28, 2016, with no crime found.

HE DEFENDED HIMSELF 

Minister Memişoğlu stated that he began his duty as the Istanbul Provincial Health Director on October 6, 2016, and that the investigation in question was conducted by the Ministry, saying, "To claim that this investigation was closed due to my appointment as provincial health director in October 2016 is, to put it mildly, unscrupulous. We dismantled this gang by working in full coordination with our health directorate, our law enforcement units, and judicial authorities. Apparently, there were those who were uncomfortable with this, so they launched a ruthless attack on us."

Minister Memişoğlu stated that the investigation began with a letter they wrote to the Police on May 5, 2023, that the investigation was conducted in secret, and that he became aware of all this evidence simultaneously with the public.

Stating that the link between the baby deaths and the organization's activities began to be investigated on June 28, 2024, Memişoğlu said, "The necessary medical examination was carried out by an expert committee consisting of three of our professors. In the report prepared by the experts dated September 16, 2024, the opinion was expressed that the suspects were responsible for the baby deaths," he said.

Since the investigation and trial regarding the newborn gang began, no information has been shared with the public regarding whether there have been any dismissals at the Ministry of Health related to the investigation.

News Source: 12punto