It was the health workers who mobilized at the first moment to heal the wounds of the earthquake disaster. Health Services Union President Özlem Akarken talked about the struggle of health workers and their conclusions about the process. “Obviously, this disaster showed us that we were not prepared as a country. But despite the shortcomings, mistakes and mistakes, healthcare professionals mobilized to save lives. Let’s learn from our experiences and return to science,” he said.
In the earthquake that shook our country deeply, took thousands of our lives and destroyed our cities, health professionals worked at the forefront as they did during the pandemic period.
Health Services Union President Özlem Akarken talked about the struggle of health workers to serve my citizens who were affected by the earthquake and to heal the wounds of the earthquake.
”Unfortunately, COORDINATION CANNOT BE ESTABLISHED AT THE FIRST STAGE”
Akarken said: “As in the pandemic period after the great disaster, health care staff were at the forefront of the sacrifice. First of all, the health personnel working in the earthquake area tried to be a balm for the wounds by transferring them to the institution they worked after the earthquake disaster. As the Health Services Union (SAHİM-SEN) and as health institution employees who have served in the earthquake region before, in order for us to provide effective and efficient health services to the earthquake victims and to effectively fight the consequences of this great disaster, Unfortunately, we could not communicate with our friends until the next day. Unfortunately, coordination could not be achieved in the earthquake zone in the first place.
LIFE-SAVE MOVEMENT IN IMPOSSIBILITIES
As I continued my narration, Akarken said: “Although transportation to health institutions was affected by the damage on the roads, the health workers did their best for the survival of those who were pulled out of the rubble. Since most of the hospitals in the earthquake regions were unable to use them, they provided health services in the hospital gardens for a long time. Lack of electricity and water, unfortunately, the hygiene conditions also affected the health worker. After the military helicopters came into operation, the hopes were raised that they would constantly come to the region and provide patient transport. Later, with his participation in the dispatch chain on military ships and as a hospital, coordination entered into a little order at the end of the 80 hours when the earthquake took place. Since the power lines were not standing, the area was left without electricity, and the health workers had a hard time in the process. Those who were there, as well as those far from that region, were aware of the impossibilities. When the communication started, we participated in the aid campaign, which was our responsibility to correct the deficiencies as much as we could. On the other hand, participating in search and rescue activities, we tried to eliminate the deficiencies conveyed to us by our friends who provide health services. Sometimes we didn’t have any transactions that got stuck in the bureaucracy, we did this by establishing a coordination board in our union regarding the earthquake. In this process, the Disabled Persons Commission of our union also tried to be a balm for the wounds by establishing a platform with non-governmental organizations. Ambulance malfunctions occurred in search and rescue activities. There were problems in the coordination of material supply at the point of eliminating the malfunctions. Frankly, this disaster showed us that we were not prepared as a country.”
”Let’s learn lessons from our experiences and return to science”
Flowing about the process and what needs to be done, “There are still grievances in that region. People stay in tents and even in cars. Our state should establish coordination with the NGOs that have set their heart on this business and become one heart as soon as possible and increase the number of containers. Our friends with whom we met do not want to leave that region. In fact, the people of that region volunteer to serve in that region. Believe me, I’m proud, most of the phones I get are filled with people who want to go to that region voluntarily. Turkey actually became one heart. We have seen from our experiences in this process that we did not seem to be doing good, but wanted to be seen by doing good. Health workers, who worked devotedly from the first moment in coordination with the very successful organization, became search and rescue teams and NGOs. In our childhood, when we drew pictures of natural disasters in painting classes, we used to draw a Red Crescent tent in this earthquake. Let’s not forget that we learn what we do not know by researching, reading and asking, and we learn from our mistakes. If we don’t have money, we will win. Everything has a solution as long as we go back to science, learn from our experiences, and not incur losses. If we continue to make mistakes when disasters come, there is no cure for lost lives,” he said.
Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency
