Minister of Health: All physicians have been granted aesthetic authority to prevent unlicensed practices.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu stated that the claims regarding the salary cuts of family physicians are unfounded, and on the contrary, they have increased the incentives threefold. Memişoğlu made statements regarding current issues on NTV broadcast. He said that their goal in family medicine is to prioritize preventive medicine.

"WE VALUE FAMILY MEDICINE"

Responding to a question about the work stoppage actions of family physicians, Minister Memişoğlu said, "I believe that the friends participating in the action will also be convinced. We really value family medicine." He expressed that family physicians are responsible for the health of the individuals they are responsible for, stating, "If this population is getting sicker compared to the previous period, we think that preventive health services have not been provided sufficiently." Emphasizing the importance of the physical conditions of family medicine, Minister Memişoğlu explained that new steps will be taken in this regard in the coming days.

AESTHETIC AUTHORITY FOR ALL PHYSICIANS

Minister Memişoğlu stated that the purpose of granting aesthetic authority to all physicians is to prevent underground practices. He mentioned that the Ministry will provide certification training in this regard, saying, "We have no restrictions regarding branches that perform much more advanced and specialized procedures after a much more important and detailed specialization training like plastic surgery."

"THE THING THAT UPSETS ME THE MOST."

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu also answered a question regarding the Newborn Gang. Minister Memişoğlu explained that the thing that upsets him the most about this issue is that the scandal that emerged has caused a decrease in trust in the health system.

Explaining that they are working on the private hospital regulation, Minister Memişoğlu stated that they will make a statement on this issue in the coming days. The main points from Minister Memişoğlu's statements are as follows:

AESTHETIC AUTHORITY FOR ALL PHYSICIANS

In the past, certification was essentially given to some of our physicians by providing training for such applications. It appears in plastic surgery and dermatology authority, but these procedures can actually be applied from a medical perspective. It should be thought of like subcutaneous injection. We clarified this with the branches that provide this training. It was not a new thing; it was something that should have been done. We have no restrictions regarding branches that perform much more advanced and specialized procedures after a much more important and detailed specialization training like plastic surgery.

"WE WILL PREVENT UNDERGROUND PRACTICES"

Only in the specialization phase of the medical profession, if the relevant branches add this to the core education curriculum prepared by the board we call the Medical Specialization Board, it has become possible to apply this. At the same time, if we are going to conduct a certification program, we will ensure that what will be taught in its training, how it will be done, is determined and provided with the program and curriculum. By increasing the number of physicians who can perform these applications, we will prevent underground practices. Currently, one-fifth of our plastic surgeons work in the public sector. One-third of our dermatologists work in the public sector. We cannot say that these have decreased in the public sector solely as a result of aesthetic applications. We have worked to plan that especially our shortage of specialist physicians will be sufficient in the public sector within three to four years. The most significant problem in our appointment system is related to these branches.

"FAMILY PHYSICIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION"

We value family medicine very much. If you do not practice preventive medicine, you will face significant problems in 5-10 years, from diabetes to weight issues. We are trying to strengthen family medicine. Family medicine is responsible for the health of individuals. Generally speaking; a family physician is responsible for ensuring that a population of 3,500 remains healthy. Therefore, if this population is getting sicker compared to the previous period, we think that preventive health services have not been provided sufficiently. If the same population needs to go to the hospital more, it means that the preventive care has not been provided adequately compared to the previous period.

"WE DID NOT CUT SALARIES, INCENTIVES INCREASED"

We did not cut the salaries of family physicians. What we did was to increase their incentive amounts. By increasing these incentive amounts threefold, if this population needs to go to the hospital less; we will make an additional incentive payment to you. We provide our family physicians with a current budget. We need to establish a corporate identity. The physical structure of family medicine needs to be improved. We will share this work with the public soon. Ultimately, it is a service based on the trust index of medicine and health. You need to trust the people on the other side. We will support our family physicians as a public entity in this regard. I believe that the friends participating in the action will also be convinced. We really value family medicine.

"BASIC HEALTH SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY FREE"

We provide our basic health services completely free of charge. Right now, we are only ensuring that acupuncture and phytotherapy, which are applied in the second and third levels, can only be performed by family physicians who have received training and been authorized in this regard.

FAMILY PHYSICIANS WILL PROVIDE SPECIAL REPORTS AT A LOWER COST

Our goal is to ensure that people go to family physicians. The same treatment can already be performed in third-level hospitals. This is a common practice in developed countries around the world. Optional reports were provided for a fee in state and private hospitals. Family physicians could not provide these. We said that family physicians could provide these at a slightly lower fee.

"WE WILL PROVIDE CERTIFICATION FOR EVERY PHYSICIAN"

If family medicine trainers bring this issue to the core education curriculum, it will be evaluated. Currently, there is no such situation. We will provide certification for every physician. We will do this through the application of physicians and a lottery system. Currently, we do not have such a plan for family physicians. Certification will be within the quota. We will not allow aesthetic applications at this time.

NEWBORN GANG: MY BIGGEST SADNESS IS THE DECREASE IN TRUST IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM

Turkey is a country that is cited as an example in the world regarding health. When you look at infant mortality and maternal mortality, Turkey is in a good place in the world. While some countries leave babies under 500 grams, we have a group of healthcare workers who can keep them alive. They will receive the necessary punishment. Our lawyers are also following this matter.

After looking back, we determined that infant deaths were the result of negligence, and then we closed the hospitals. We are working on the private hospital regulation. We are in preparation and will share it with the public.