The Anger of Healthcare Workers Flooded the Streets!

Healthcare workers went on strike in all services except emergency services on 7-8 July at the call of labour and professional organizations. Against the increase in violence against healthcare workers, the harsh working conditions and the government’s indifference, the cry of “We Don’t Want to Die While We Serve for Human Life” was raised from all over the country." Especially young doctors cried “we are doctors, we did not study so many years to be killed!”

On July 6, Doctor Ekrem Karakaya was killed by an armed attack of a patient’s relative in Konya City Hospital. Healthcare workers who organized commemoration ceremonies for Doctor Karakaya in hospitals shouted out: “We are in grief, we are angry”.

Again, the government tried to silence by force this cry against violence against healthcare workers. The healthcare workers wanted to march from Çapa to the Provincial Health Directorate in Istanbul but they were beaten and blocked by the police.

However, the Healthcare workers passed all the barricades one by one. Tens of thousands of health workers all over the country walked out and participated in commemorations and marches, anger flooded the streets. In the statements, the government’s health policies were exposed and it was emphasized that the struggle against violence against healthcare workers would be strenghtened. “Those damn policies that they call ‘health reform’ kills the doctors and healthcare workers! There is a stone wall in front of us, a stone wall that does not hear, does not see, does not feel, does not understand!” said the workers’ representatives.

“The minister of health is a private hospital chain owner. Could there be anything more absurd than that? For whom do you think he works? For us or for his private hospitals?” workers asked. They emphasized the violence reveals a total economic and political collapse and it’s time for action!

The workers chanted angry slogans: “Stop Violence Against Healhcare Workers!” “Barricades for Murderers, not healthcare workers!” “We are not Afraid, We are not Silent, We are not Going Anywhere!”