Turkey’s infant mortality rate has surged to three times the European Union average, with the political opposition blaming government negligence, healthcare privatization and a lack of oversight for the worsening crisis, the Evrensel daily reported.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the infant mortality rate rose from 9.2 per 1,000 live births in 2022 to 10 per 1,000 in 2023 — nearly triple the EU average and five times higher than some European countries.
The sharp rise in infant deaths comes amid a broader healthcare crisis, as public hospitals face budget cuts, overcrowding and staffing shortages, while private hospitals expand with minimal regulation.
Critics argue that the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Health Transformation Program, launched in 2003, has prioritized private hospitals at the expense of public healthcare, forcing more citizens to pay out of pocket for essential medical services.
Kayıhan Pala, a lawmaker from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), accused the government of failing to allocate sufficient resources to public healthcare, leading to preventable infant deaths.
“The Health Ministry is not taking the necessary precautions, and the Labor and Social Security Ministry lacks sufficient inspectors to monitor private hospitals,” Pala said.
Adding to concerns, opposition lawmaker Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu from the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) warned that privatized healthcare policies have created an environment ripe for abuse in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Speaking during a meeting of a parliamentary commission on infant mortality, Gergerlioğlu referenced the notorious ‘Yenidoğan Çetesi’ (Newborn Gang) case in which prosecutors alleged that a network of private hospital staff — including managers, doctors, emergency call operators and ambulance drivers — conspired to exploit newborns for financial gain.
According to prosecutors, parents were falsely told their healthy newborns required intensive care, while some infants in actual need of specialized treatment were denied proper care.
The scheme aimed to secure social security payments of 8,000 Turkish lira ($287) per day — a government subsidy provided to private hospitals for treating newborns — on top of fees charged to parents. Profits were allegedly distributed among the conspirators.
“The lack of government oversight and the push for healthcare privatization have allowed such abuses to resurface,” Gergerlioğlu said.
With infant mortality rising and allegations of government negligence mounting, opposition lawmakers are demanding stricter oversight of private hospitals, increased investment in public healthcare and greater transparency in infant mortality reporting.
The government has yet to respond to the latest criticism. However, as Turkey’s infant mortality rate continues to climb, pressure is building on authorities to address what critics call a systemic failure endangering the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
