The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has warned that systemic corruption is pushing the country’s health system to the brink and urged the government to implement immediate reforms, the BirGün daily reported.
At a press conference held by the Istanbul Medical Chamber, TTB vice chair Dr. Pınar Saip presented a recent report by the association titled “Commercial Gang Activity in Healthcare: Infant deaths.” According to the report there has been a drastic increase in the rate of preventable maternal and infant deaths.
It said that infant deaths were part of a broader healthcare crisis, as public hospitals faced budget cuts, overcrowding and staffing shortages, while private hospitals expanded 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.
According to the report, maternal mortality in Turkey is seven to eight times higher than preventable levels, while infant mortality is about five times higher than it should be. The country’s perinatal mortality rate is 67 percent above the European average.
Postnatal care is also insufficient: Women typically receive only two to three postpartum checkups instead of the recommended six. Additionally, 40,000 babies are born to mothers who received inadequate prenatal care, and 24,000 women give birth without professional assistance.
Saip pointed to the lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure in public hospitals as the root cause of the problem, forcing patients to turn to private hospitals that often operate with insufficient government oversight. Saip said there was an urgent need to strengthen preventative care and improve public healthcare facilities.
TTB’s report came amid a huge healthcare scandal in Turkey involving 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.
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.
