Minister of Health Dr. Fahrettin Koca paid a visit to Aydın.
Before his visit to Governor Hüseyin Aksoy, Minister Koca made statements on current issues.
Koca expressed that Aydın will have a city hospital with 1300 bed capacity in 2023, and this investment will transform the city into a health base of the region. Koca also noted that the health army in the city has grown 2.5 times in 20 years and reached 9,966 people.
Recalling that there has been an uphill struggle against coronavirus for 2,5 years, and both 1 million 300 thousand healthcare army and each citizen of the nation have been making sacrifices, Koca added:
“Today we feel so comfortable that we left the bad days behind. We are safe now. We have vaccines and drugs. As long as we have these medications, this disease is no more a threat. From now on, we would like to move on with personal protective measures and vaccines. Mask-use is optional except in public transport and healthcare facilities. We are responsible for protecting people aged over 65 and the other vulnerable groups. They should not neglect their booster doses. They need to wear masks where necessary.
The last meeting of Scientific Advisory Board
Minister Koca stated that the number of coronavirus patients has been decreasing in intensive care units; Covid-19 services are closing day by day; Aydın is one of the cities where no patient is left in intensive care units and daily case number is around 20.
Delivering his speech, Koca said “Scientific Advisory Board has performed extraordinarily during outbreak for 27 months. We are talking about a Board consisting of 35 people and a total of 110 people with sub-working groups. Anytime we can agree to meet, but it is not necessary now. The last meeting was phenomenal yesterday.”
“Mask should be worn if there is an infection symptom.”
Highlighting that influenza was not observed at the time when the masks were generally worn, and in the upcoming periods those, who have upper respiratory tract infection, should wear masks, Minister Koca noted “this should become a pattern. When the aged people enter indoors, crowded and risky places, they should wear masks.”
Before his program at Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Koca paid a visit to Aydın Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital and listened to the problems of healthcare professionals and patients.
Minister of Health Koca addressed the medical faculty students in Aydın.
Minister Koca met with resident physicians and students at faculties of medicine and dentistry at the event held at Aydın Adnan Menderes University.
Emphasizing that the decisions to deter violence should be spread and announced as far as possible, Koca added:
“Social media and other mass media should be utilized effectively for this purpose. It is very valuable to be a part of solution. It is against us to be considered that the crimes of violence in health are without charge. This idea serves the increase in crimes. Unfortunately, for media, the crime is attractive; punishment is not. Unfortunately, the way the violent crimes are handling is encouraging to the crime. When legal regulation enters into force, I require your cooperation. If committed, there will be an arrest for the crime of nonaccidental injury. All of us should share such news so that everyone hears it.”
Reminding that an important step was taken in Turkish Grand National Assembly against violent crimes in health, Koca said “the crime of nonaccidental injury will be counted as an indictable offense. The crime of injuring healthcare professional will, from now on, be handled in the same way as such crimes as voluntary manslaughter, torture, encouraging to suicide.”
“I am your colleague as long as I live”
Mentioning about the duty problem, Koca stated that the solution will be put into practice in the process of time, and added “however, 36-hour duty is not humane. A heavy burden. You have witnessed my efforts. We would like to restrict working hours max 24 hours. We are also aiming a regulation for equal salary for the duties. Today I am the Minister of Health but I am your colleague as long as I live. I know my responsibilities. Rest assured.
Koca answered the questions of students at the end of the event.
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