Transformation into a 'container' in healthcare: 'There are no concerns about correcting the deficiencies in the system'

Hatay, one of the regions most affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, continues to face problems two and a half years after the earthquake. In the city, where citizens continue to face ongoing challenges in accessing their right to healthcare, there are still Family Health Centers operating out of containers and prefabricated buildings.

Dr. Derya Uğur, President of the General Health Workers' Union ( GHP), who has been conducting on-site investigations into health issues in earthquake-stricken areas, spoke to Cumhuriyet newspaper about the issue. She noted that the problems persist in other provinces affected by the earthquake. She explained that the Hatay Provincial Health Directorate had asked the Ministry of Health for its opinion on the procedures and actions to be taken regarding the inspections, grouping, system entries related to inspections, and the grouping of newly assigned physicians to units grouped by lottery. She explained that the Ministry of Health's General Directorate of Public Health responded, "Regulations regarding payments and service provision were made in the post-earthquake period, ensuring that these regulations continued to be implemented for one year. No exemptions from inspections, etc., have been defined beyond this."

"THEY DON'T CARE"

Thereupon, Hatay Provincial Health Directorate requested that the inspections of family medicine units providing service in containers/prefabricated structures outside their buildings be evaluated urgently until the end of business hours on 29.08.2025 (today), that those who do not meet the group conditions be recorded in the Core Resource Management System (ÇKYS) and the Integrated Enterprise Process Platform (EKİP) system (both) according to the group they meet the conditions for, and that the relevant facilities and units where the process was carried out be notified to the Hatay Provincial Health Directorate with an official letter.

Uğur stated that it was understood that the Ministry of Health and the Hatay Provincial Health Directorate had no objection to the provision of healthcare services in containers and prefabricated buildings. He said, "They don't care about the conditions under which healthcare services are provided. They have no concern for correcting the flaws and deficiencies in the system. Their sole concern is to simply implement the directives they receive without considering their legality and thus shirk responsibility." He warned, "First, improve the conditions, address the grievances, and then consider conducting inspections."

"CONDUCT AN INSPECTION REGARDING THE DEFICIENCY IN THE FIELD"

Uğur concluded by saying: “While you remain silent about family health services being provided in containers and prefabricated buildings, and while you take no action to correct this situation, you cannot avoid responsibility by conducting inspections that you deem compliant with regulations, regardless of the conditions under which healthcare services are provided. If you are going to conduct inspections, do so by addressing what is lacking in the field. Be constructive and remedial, not destructive or perpetuating the broken system!

At this stage, as Genel Sağlık-İş, we are doing our part and calling on the Ministry of Health and the Hatay Provincial Health Directorate to rectify this mistake and address the grievances. If our invitation is not heeded, if our voices are not heard, and if our demands are not met, as Genel Sağlık-İş, we will continue to monitor the situation.