Doctors in Turkey continue to migrate abroad in enormous numbers as long-standing issues such as low pay, workplace violence, and heavy workloads remain unresolved, according to the Turkish Medical Association (TTB).
The TTB reported that applications for “certificates of good conduct” – a document required for doctors to work abroad – reached record levels in July. Data shows that 288 Turkish doctors applied for the certificate last month alone, bringing the total number of applicants this year to 1,649.
In a statement, the TTB highlighted the loss of rights and incidents of violence Turkish doctors face. “Against the increasing loss of rights and escalating violence in an environment of multiple crises, continue the struggle for life and survival,” the statement read.
The number of applicants highlights ongoing frustration among Turkish doctors over low salaries, heavy workloads, and lack of resources. Doctors have also protested increasing violence from patients and their families.
The mass exodus threatens to exacerbate the shortage of doctors in Turkey’s understaffed hospitals. The TTB and other medical groups have called for reforms to improve working conditions and stem the exodus of doctors from the country.
Gerçek Nws