Filiz Besim: Ministry of Health Has Become a Referral Office for Private Hospitals

Speaking on the program ‘Gündem’ on Kıbrıs Postası TV, hosted by Ulaş Barış, Besim pointed out the lack of progress in healthcare over the past five years and the increasing difficulties in medication procurement and patient appointments.

"No Steps Taken in Healthcare for Five Years"

Besim emphasized that hospitals remain unfinished, existing hospitals are insufficient, and despite public concerns reflected in surveys, no concrete action has been taken in healthcare over the last five years.

"The Ministry of Health Has Become a Referral Office for Private Hospitals"

According to Besim, basic healthcare services are facing major setbacks, and the government has increased the number of referrals to private hospitals, effectively turning the ministry into a "referral office."

She also highlighted problems in medication procurement, pointing out that medicine procurement tenders are not being held, and as the budget for patient referrals has increased, the budget for medicine has been reduced, exacerbating the shortages.

"Unfinished Hospitals Leave People Without Basic Healthcare Services"

Besim criticized the government for failing to complete hospitals despite increasing the budget. She stressed that this situation deprives people of essential healthcare services and noted that when CTP was in power, these hospitals were nearly completed before being left unfinished under the current administration.

She also underlined rising operational costs in hospitals and lack of oversight, which further inflates expenses.

"One Medical School Per Million People Should Be Enough"

Besim argued that not everyone with financial means should be allowed to open a medical school, warning that having too many doctors does not necessarily improve quality. Instead, she called for planned training programs that focus on specialists in needed fields to prevent future unemployment among doctors.

"Lack of Equipment Drives Brain Drain"

Pointing to equipment shortages in hospitals, Besim stated that many doctors prefer working in well-equipped hospitals abroad, leading to a brain drain.

She also noted that many doctors are opening clinics abroad due to the lack of necessary infrastructure and development in local hospitals.

"Population Issues at the Root of Many Problems"

Besim highlighted that uncertainty over population figures affects everything from healthcare to traffic accidents. She criticized the lack of an official population count, arguing that without accurate data, effective policies cannot be developed.