‘Newborn gang’ brought health policies into discussion, CHP is taking action – Last Minute Health News

While Turkey was talking about the newborn gang that caused the death of at least 12 babies in order to receive 8 thousand liras from the Social Security Institution (SGK), it was learned that CHP municipalities were discussing new decisions to expand their services. CHP, which increased the number of metropolitan and provincial mayors from 21 to 35 in the March 31 elections, opened city restaurants, and the Ministry of Health’s blocking of primary care services, including diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, provided by local governments on the grounds that municipality-owned places “do not have the status of a medical center” took action on it. It was stated that the Ministry did not give licenses to the new medical centers that the municipalities wanted to open. It was stated that CHP continues its negotiations for new approaches at the provincial and district level and that concrete steps to be taken on the issue will be determined in health workshops that will continue until the first months of 2025.

He pointed out that municipalities, especially in Istanbul and Ankara, were trying to increase their services in the form of vaccination and disease screening, and said that the first steps regarding the hospitals and medical centers in question could be taken in these provinces. Speaking to Cumhuriyet, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) sources said, “There is a gap in the system regarding primary health care services. In order to complete this, we want to open new centers next to the existing medical centers, but a license is not given by the Ministry of Health. “Purchasing a hospital is also on the agenda, but IMM’s first thought is to open new medical centers,” he said.

EŞREFPAŞA MODEL IS ON THE AGENDA

It was stated that one of the models that can be taken as an example for the health services that CHP municipalities want to increase is Eşrefpaşa Hospital, which is located in Izmir and is Turkey’s first and only municipal hospital. While CHP staff pointed out the functionality of the hospital, which was opened in 1908 and managed by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality since 1950, they stated that Eşrefpaşa Hospital could be an important role model in case the hospital is purchased by the municipalities.