‘19 healthcare workers subjected to violence in Turkey in October'

* Photo: Evrensel newspaper

Click to read the article in Turkish

Essential Health and Social Service Laborers' Union (Health Union) has released its October report on "Violence in Healthcare".

The report has shown that 19 healthcare workers were subjected to violence in 11 attacks targeting healthcare workers last month.

While 4 of the 11 incidents of violence were caused by patients, seven were perpetrated by their relatives. The union has commented, "The fact that violence comes from patients and relatives of patients undermines the trusting relationship between healthcare workers and patients."

The union has shared the following findings:

"In 11 incidents of violence that occured in Turkey, 10 incidents involved both verbal and physical attacks while one involved a verbal attack.

"While 10 incidents of violence occurred at hospitals, one incident took place in a family health center.

"In the related incidents, 19 healthcare workers were subjected to violence; while eight were women, 11 were men.

"In 11 incidents, eight doctors, seven nurses and four security personnel were subjected to violence.

"While no action was taken against 2 of the 21 assaulters, 15 were released from detention and four were arrested."

'Such reactions don't contribute to resolution'

Commenting on the findings, the Health Union has stressed that the reactions displayed on a daily basis do not contribute to the resolution of the problem and violence keeps on threatening them:

"The healthcare workers, who are subjected violence, wounded and even face the risk of losing their lives, are getting more and more alienated from their profession and they even drift away from it.

"Besides, the fact that assaulters are not penalized or the penal sanctions are not deterrent enough destroys health workers' hopes, too.

"This situation naturally affects the healthcare system as much as it affects the workers. As the dark shadow of violence falls upon the healthcare system more and more with each passing day, the burnout syndrome is becoming the common denominator of all workers.

"What needs to be done at this point is to be adequately aware of the danger and to put inhibiting, preventing and protecting policies into effect as soon as possible. The Health Ministry is the one to do this." (KÖ/SD)