Healthcare professionals working at Near East University Hospital, Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital and Near East University Hospital Yeniboğaziçi, made a statement of solidarity with Dr. Sadrettin Tuğcu and demanded that violence against healthcare workers be punished in the most severe way.
Health workers working at Near East Enterprises Hospitals, who made a press statement about Famagusta State Hospital Urology Specialist Dr. Sadrettin Tuğcu’s serious injury as a result of being attacked with a knife in his private clinic while on duty, gave a message of solidarity by drawing attention to the violence against health workers, which has increased in recent years.
Near East Enterprises hospitals’ doctors in their statement demanded that any attack on healthcare professionals be punished as soon as possible and in the most severe way, and conveyed their best wishes to Sadrettin Tuğcu.
The joint press statement was read by Near East University Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Müfit C. Yenen at the Near East University Hospital.
The attacks have become systematic!
In the statement, starting by offering his best wishes to Dr. Sadrettin Tuğcu, Prof. Dr. Müfit C. Yenen emphasized that the attacks and devaluing of healthcare professionals have become systematic and said, “At the end of the day, this situation causes educated people to stay away from the system and society. It is the last medieval darkness that awaits the society that has lost its educated people or neutralized and devalued them.” Stating that it will take an average of 20 years to train another physician instead of an experienced specialist who has left the system, Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Yenen stated that the value of health workers should be known and they should be protected.
Prof. Dr. Yenen said, “A society that devalues its educated people will face a terrible end. Especially in the field of health, the consequences are much more dire. The training of a specialist physician takes 11-12 years after the end of secondary education. It takes decades for this physician to reach a certain level of experience. The education of physicians and health workers never ends, they have to put new information on it every day. As a result, it may take an average of 20 years to train another physician instead of an experienced physician who has left the system. We need to know the values of our healthcare workers and protect their dignity.”
Let’s prevent the Turkish Cypriot people from catching this disease together!
Emphasizing that the tolerance that can be shown to the perpetrators of the attacks against healthcare professionals is the biggest concern, Near East University Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Müfit C. Yenen stated that the National Assembly of the Republic, the government, the police and the judiciary bear a great responsibility in this regard.
Prof. Dr. Yenen said, “Once this disease spreads to society, it will be too late and very difficult to eradicate it. As with all diseases, preventive measures are much easier than therapeutic approaches. Let’s prevent the Turkish Cypriot people, who are still fused with all their segments, whose feelings of friendship and brotherhood are not disturbed, not polarized, and who have assimilated mutual love and respect, from catching this disease.”
What had happened?
Working as a Urology Specialist at Famagusta State Hospital, Dr. Sadrettin Tuğcu was stabbed by his patient on 6 May “on the grounds that he did not treat him as he wanted”. Seriously injured in the incident, Dr. Sadrettin Tuğcu was operated at Famagusta State Hospital. Çağa Erturan, the 32-year-old suspect who carried out the attack, was arrested. The Police Headquarters announced that the investigation into the attack is continuing.