Turkish health workers on two-day strike after brutal killing of cardiologist
Turkish Medical Association (TTB) announced a two day medical strike to protest violence against health workers in Turkey, after a patient’s relative shot and killed a cardiologist before committing suicide in Konya, a central city in Turkey.
The attacker blamed the doctor for the death of his mother, who had been operated on a month ago, Cumhuriyet newspaper said.
“Dr. Ekrem Karakaya was massacred on duty! We are mad!” TTB tweeted.
???? Basın Toplantısı
— Türk Tabipleri Birliği (@ttborgtr) July 6, 2022
Dr. #EkremKarakaya Görevi Başında Katledildi!
Öfkeliyiz!
Sorumlulardan Hesap Soracağız!
???? 6 Temmuz 2022 Çarşamba
⏰ 17.30
???? Türk Tabipleri Birliği
???? TTB Youtube-Twitter-Facebook-Instagram Hesaplarından Canlı https://t.co/581Ooxp7AR
“Health workers gave white code over 110 thousand times over the last 10 years” said Dr. Ali Seker, an MP from the CHP (Republican People’s Party). A white code is a specific signal used by the hospital staff to report violence and call for security.
An average of 80 medical staff each day endures aggression and 84% of all doctors in Turkey have been subject to violence at least once in their career, according to a survey by TTB.
Many medical professionals seek to leave the country due to low wages, heavy workload and the risk of violence.
