Ceiling collapses in neonatal intensive care unit in Bakırköy: 1 baby loses life

A collapse occurred in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Prof. Dr. Murat Dilmener Emergency Hospital, which was built at Atatürk Airport. Fire crews were dispatched to the hospital following the collapse of the suspended ceiling.

It was learned that the collapse was caused by a leak in the plumbing passing through the ceiling.

While there were no deaths or injuries in the incident itself, 8 babies receiving treatment in the intensive care unit were evacuated.

The hospital built at Atatürk Airport was constructed as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic. Opened on May 31, 2020, the hospital was named after Prof. Dr. Murat Dilmener, who lost his life to coronavirus.

'WE WILL FINISH IT WITHIN 45 DAYS' HE HAD SAID

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said, "We are building a thousand-bed, single-story hospital in the area of Yeşilköy Atatürk Airport and in the part where the airport in Sancaktepe is located. We will finish these rapidly within 45 days."

RÖNESANS UNDERTOOK THE PROJECT

It was revealed that Rönesans Holding undertook the construction of the hospital, and that the hospital in Yeşilköy would be built not on the airport itself, but on the land belonging to the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ) across from it.

The then Bakırköy Municipality Technical Deputy Mayor Cavit Ganiç had reacted to the municipality being left out of the process, saying, "We should have at least been informed about a 52,000 square meter construction to be carried out in our region."

OPENED FOR SERVICE ON MAY 31

While the hospital's opening took place on May 31, the previous Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca stated that they had taken a step that would "add strength to the power of the health system," and expressed that "they had tested their preparedness for natural disasters, especially earthquakes, as well as for such epidemic diseases."

Koca also said, "Our emergency hospitals are mandatory projects for Turkey. We need solid guarantees against epidemics and disasters."

ONE BABY LOST THEIR LIFE

In the unit where 8 babies were receiving treatment, the health condition of one baby, who was transferred to a different unit following the evacuation procedures, deteriorated. The newborn premature baby, who was being treated in an incubator, lost their life.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

The Health and Social Service Workers Union (SES) Aksaray Branch shared the following information regarding the incident:

"We have learned that the ceiling of the neonatal intensive care unit at the Prof. Dr. Murat Dilmener Emergency Hospital collapsed last night due to a hot water pipe burst, that 8 babies were receiving treatment in the unit, 5 of whom were intubated and 3 were being followed spontaneously, that unfortunately 1 premature baby who was being followed as intubated lost their life, and that our healthcare worker colleagues were injured while evacuating the babies."

In the statement, which noted that despite technical and structural problems being reported to the relevant authorities previously, the necessary maintenance and repairs were not carried out seriously, it was stated that in this latest incident, oxygen support could not be provided and the healthcare workers who evacuated the babies suffered glass cuts and burns.

The statement, which also voiced the deficiencies in the hospital, said:

"The Prof. Dr. Murat Dilmener Emergency Hospital, which was opened as an emergency hospital during the pandemic in 2020, was moved to the Prof. Dr. Murat Dilmener Emergency Hospital in April 2023 due to the damage to the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine buildings. They crammed a third-level university hospital into an area whose infrastructure and physical conditions were not suitable for providing third-level health services. It turned into a hospital where health services are provided under primitive conditions, where transportation for staff and patients is difficult, where there are no pharmacies, medical facilities, or residential areas around the hospital, where pests ranging from snakes are rampant, where heating in winter is provided by air conditioning and electricity, and where food poisoning frequently occurs from the cafeteria."

'HAS REVEALED THE GRAVITY OF THE NEGLIGENCE'

The statement continued with the following expressions:

"Health institutions must be healthy and safe for the public and healthcare workers. We do not want our institutions that should provide healing to turn into graves for us and our patients.

This incident has revealed the measures not taken, the facilities accepted without sufficient and scientific inspections, the incompetence of the administrations, in short, the gravity of the negligence.

The hospital administration, which does not take precautions by calling it temporary and makes people forget by spreading the investigations over time, continues to cover up work accidents as well. The investigation opened for food poisoning that affected hundreds of staff and patients is a clear indicator of this. Because those who are negligent are identified, the investigation is being tried to be forgotten by being transferred to someone else and is not being concluded. Incompetent administrators and managers continue to commit crimes by not doing their jobs.

We wish condolences and patience to the relatives of our baby in this tragedy where one of our babies lost their life. We also convey our get-well wishes to our injured healthcare worker colleagues.

We remember the boasting about the construction of this hospital, whose opening was performed by the President himself, in such a short time as 45 days, and its advertisement as a great success story. We expect an effective administrative and judicial investigation to be conducted regarding those who were negligent from that period until the tragedy that occurred today.

It should be known that we will be the followers of the incident to ensure that those who invited this tragedy are uncovered and that what is necessary is done."

Furthermore, the negligence was revealed in the footage shared by ANKA.

Here is that footage:

Ceiling collapses in neonatal intensive care unit in Bakırköy: 1 baby loses life

?? 'There are babies in there'

?? "Healthcare workers who evacuated the babies suffered glass cuts and burns"https://t.co/SfwQApf6cZ pic.twitter.com/R5Zjg5S2vN

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) August 4, 2024

THEY HAD BOASTED ABOUT BUILDING A HOSPITAL IN 45 DAYS

On May 31, 2020, a post was made from Rönesans Holding's official X account, saying "2 hospitals in 45 days", and the following expressions were included:

"We are proud to have brought these two emergency hospitals to our country during the Covid-19 days with a total of 150,000 m2 of closed construction area and 2016 bed capacity."

News Source: 12punto