Daisies

Nobody has anything to say in the matter. I for myself can tell you about what the state of affairs is in the Turkish Parliament. Starting with Parliament, if you scrutinize all other institutions, you will realize that there is no respect for efficiency, for capability, for intelligence. The consequences of always turning a blind eye to all misdemeanors are these fatalities. In an atmosphere of nepotism where politicians prefer to send their most inefficient minions on important trips abroad with the pretext that they have to see and get informed about the outside world, then there will be no room left for efficiency.

All of us in Turkey know that in almost all institutions corruption, crony capitalism, nepotism and inefficiency are rampant. We turn a blind eye to these practices saying, "What can we do? This is politics." If someone wants to fight these misdemeanors, we call them "cranky" and reprimand them.

The horrible incident that happened in Bursa is not the cause but the effect. Because the health sector in Turkey cannot be isolated from the other sectors. If you use the pretext of an electric shortcut as the cause of the fire, then you try to minimize the importance of this horrible incident. For years we have complained that all Turkish hospitals, including university hospitals are problematic.

The salaries are never reasonable. Due to this money problem, qualified and efficient personnel are reluctant to work in these hospitals. Another problem is that the hospitals are unable to get back their money from public institutions. Maintenance is almost nil, and they are unable to enjoy new technologies.

Doctors have their own problems and are unhappy. The government prepares a legislation to restructure the doctors’ welfare level but as always fails to do so. Is it possible that a nurse, who gets 1,000 liras a month, and a doctor, 1,500 liras a month, can work properly or successfully work 24-hour shifts?

Everywhere in Turkey private hospitals are flourishing like daisies and function well. Then why doesn’t the management of public hospitals realize what efficiency means? It is very clear that the state wants to stay away from the health sector, which is a very productive one.

But in doing so, the state offers the sector to others who are close to the government. Without solving the problems of the Social Securities and the Pensioners' Fund, it will be impossible to have a productive health sector.

For almost 50 years, I have listened to rhetoric about the intentions to reform the health sector. I am a member of the happy minority, but even I have big difficulties in getting a proper health care. Even concerning the health care system, the Turkish Parliament is deeply negligent toward its personnel.

We learned that previously fires erupted in the hospital in Bursa. According to newspaper reports, the hospital had certain difficulties and problems in the past. I have to ask what has been done to correct all these problems. The worst part of the incident is dying in a fire while you lie in a bed in the emergency care unit.

We have to save our hospitals from archaic minds and archaic structures. At least we have to keep away from the thought of dying in a hospital fire.