Health Ministry lifts restriction on health workers’ leaves, retirement

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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The Ministry of Health has sent a circular to the directorates of health in 81 provinces and informed them about the new arrangements about the annual leave, resignation and retirement of healthcare workers.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the Ministry has lifted the ban on annual leave, unpaid leave, the additional leave given to health workers exposed to radiography and retirement procedures.

According to the circular, health workers' requests for retirement will be accepted. Health Ministry personnel will use their annual leave and unpaid leave on the condition that it will not disrupt public health services.

Amid increasing numbers of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and deaths, the Ministry of Health imposed a restriction on leave and retirement procedures of healthcare workers on October 27, 2020.

Latest situation in Turkey

The Ministry of Health announced the latest figures on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Turkey yesterday (January 19).

While the daily number of new cases has been announced by the Ministry as 6,818, the number of patients has been announced as 761.

167 people have lost their lives due to COVID-19 in Turkey in the last 24 hours. 7,218 people have recovered.

According to the figures announced till today, 27,698,556 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Turkey so far. While the total number of cases is 2,399,781, the death toll has reached 24,328 people.

CLICK - Turkey reports 167 coronavirus deaths

After health care professionals, Turkey started vaccinating residents and workers in care and nursing homes against COVID-19 yesterday.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), people staying and working at official and private care homes, disabled care centers, and nursing homes under the ambit of Turkey's Family, Labor and Social Services Ministry received the first dose of the China-based Sinovac Biotech's novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

People 90 and above, who are staying at their homes, are also among the second group of people to be vaccinated. The program is planned to be completed in a week with inoculation of a total of 87,120 people including 18,450 personnel, 30,000 disabled people in care homes, 14,470 personnel and 24,200 elderly people in the nursing homes.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on January 18 that according to the schedule, the inoculation of health workers will be completed by today. (SO/SD)