Regional Health Inequalities and Infrastructure Deficiencies Brought to Parliament

DEM Party Hakkari MP Öznur Bartin submitted a parliamentary question to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) for Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu to answer, officially raising the issue of physician and bed capacity insufficiencies as well as health inequalities in regional provinces.

Rationale for the Parliamentary Question

DEM Party Hakkari MP Öznur Bartin submitted a written parliamentary question to the Presidency of the TBMM for Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu to answer.

Bartin emphasized that the commercialization deepened by the Health Transformation Program has increased regional inequalities.

Inequality in Number of Physicians

While the average number of physicians per 10,000 people across Turkey is 25.81, this ratio remains at quite low levels in various eastern provinces.

The number of physicians per 10,000 people is 20.07 in Diyarbakır, 14.44 in Batman, 14.03 in Hakkari, 12.54 in Muş, 12.18 in Ağrı, and 12 in Şırnak.

Bed Capacity Gap

It is noticeable that there are significant differences and serious imbalances among regions in terms of bed capacity as well.

It was pointed out that while there are 17.50 beds per 10,000 people in Hakkari and 13 beds in Şırnak, this number is 53.20 in Elazığ.

Health Problems and Referrals

It was stated that infant and under-5 mortality rates remain above the national average in the region.

It was expressed that cancer patients are referred to other provinces due to the inability to access diagnosis and treatment facilities.

Questions Directed to the Ministry

Öznur Bartin directed questions to the ministry regarding physician shortages, bed and intensive care capacities.

The lack of an angiography unit at Yüksekova State Hospital and the inability to perform autopsy procedures were also among the questions.