KTTB Hosts Panel and Concert on City Hospitals
The Turkish Cypriot Medical Association (KTTB) recently celebrated its 67th anniversary with a panel and concert. The panel, titled “City Hospitals: Public Private Partnership?”, discussed the privatization of health and the problems experienced within the scope of Turkey’s health transformation program. Leading health professionals and experts from the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) working group attended the panel and shared their insights.
During the panel, concerns were raised about the public-private partnership-based city hospital system, which was imported from the United Kingdom and has been criticized for causing a destructive order. It was emphasized that health should not be for profit, and the public’s access to health is a natural constitutional right. Additionally, the panel addressed the challenges associated with the construction of very large hospitals outside the city and the closure of hospitals in the center, leading to problems in access to health and increased economic costs.
The panel highlighted the inefficiencies and costs associated with the city hospital model, with nearly 11 percent of the health budget in Turkey attributed to the rental fees of these hospitals alone. The statement also raised concerns about the privileges granted to private companies in the provision of health services, which burden the Ministry of Health’s budget and curtail the rights of healthcare professionals.
The panel concluded with a call for the development of a new, more modern and better-equipped public hospital in Nicosia that follows a real state hospital model. It was emphasized that the last point in health in the country must prioritize public health and operate as a state, public hospital.
Overall, the panel shed light on the challenges and concerns surrounding the privatization of health and the push for public-private partnerships in the healthcare sector. As discussions continue, there is a growing consensus on the need for a reevaluation of the current city hospital model and a greater focus on public health and access to essential healthcare services in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
