Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu emphasized that the number of physicians going abroad is not exaggerated and said, “There is a negative perception, we should not turn it into a perception that everyone is going abroad. When it reaches a pathological number, the state takes measures.” Minister Memişoğlu emphasized the need for a restructuring in the doctor-patient relationship and said, “Because the physician has started to escape to his private practice, this means a problem in the systems, we will fix this.”
Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu attended the 2024-2025 academic year opening program at Istanbul Aydın University. In the program attended by Istanbul Aydın University (IAU) Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, IAU Rector Prof. Dr. İbrahim Hakkı Aydın, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Halil Alış, as well as many academics and students, Minister Memişoğlu gave the opening lecture of the Faculty of Medicine on 'Surgery and Ethics'. Minister Memişoğlu answered the questions of the participants as well as the lecture. Minister Memişoğlu made important statements on many issues ranging from the point Turkey has reached in the health system to the issue of health workers going abroad.
“One person receives health care 11.7 times, this is too much”
Stating that Turkey has come a long way in the field of health from the past to the present, he said: “Turkey is really in a very good place in terms of health services, when you look at it today, Turkey is really one of the countries that offer the best health services in the world in terms of accessibility, information and infrastructure. We are in very good places, but this is not enough. From now on, Turkey has to become a country that produces the knowledge and technology of medicine and health, rather than a country that only produces services. We need a country that is running with the goal of being the health leader in the world. If you do not produce knowledge and remain only in service, it means that we are counting in our place. Today, unfortunately, there are some types of civilizations in the world that do not create ethical values and can slaughter thousands of people. We are representatives of the civilization of peace, friendship and goodness rather than the civilization of slaughter. If we do not increase the culture of health, unfortunately we are facing some problems, but we will overcome them together. Today, a person receives health services 11.7 times a year, which is too many. In total, we have touched people with healthcare services approximately 999 million times. The European average is 6, we are very accessible. We need to explain this to the society; we are valuable, we exist for you. While 45,000 people, thousands of people in front of the eyes of the world are being killed, you are working day and night to save the life of one person. We are the good side, we want to be respected.”
“There is no exaggerated number, the state takes measures when it reaches pathological numbers”
Responding to a question about doctors going abroad, Minister Memişoğlu said, “The issue of physicians going abroad is a very speculative issue. Everyone says something, but when you look at the numbers, there is not such an exaggerated number. I want you to know that there is a negative perception, physicians are trying to get out of the system, this is the case in the world, especially after Covid. After a very high level of intensity, health workers are rightly a bit depressed. Imagine that while everyone was not in contact with each other at home during Covid, we healthcare professionals were a group fighting against death during the pandemic. We should not turn this into a perception that everyone is going out. Unfortunately, negativity spreads quickly in this country. Maybe it is in our interest to spread negativity a lot, I don't know. There are not many physicians going abroad. Of course they will go abroad, but when this reaches a pathological number, the state will take measures and so will we. We need to restructure the relationship between the physician and the patient because the physician has started to flee to his private practice, which means problems in the systems. We will fix this, physicians need to feel valued. Today, Turkey is in a very good place compared to the past in terms of physicians, manpower quality and numerical values. Let's not create negative perceptions, I am hopeful, these young people will be much better than us. I would also like you to know that there is a lot of exposure to external influences and danger. Therefore, we need to leave this field empty. The physicians who go abroad are also our physicians, some of them come and contribute to Turkey. In fact, it would be very advantageous if we consider them as a source of wealth. But if we send them with sadness and resentment, we have a problem there, we will correct it. Our biggest goal is to support new studies and friends who will say something new.”
“We are making efforts to create our domestic sensor by the end of 2025”
Responding to a question about diabetes, Minister Memişoğlu continued his words as follows: “There is a good work on both vaccines and diabetic sensors. By the end of 2025, we are making efforts to create our domestic sensor. The most important method to prevent violence is to create a cultured and conscious society.”
At the end of the program, Minister Memişoğlu was presented with flowers.
İHA Haber Kodu: 20240923AW293442