MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Antakya- Since the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes on February 6, 2023 damaged many hospitals in Antakya, people cannot access health service. Patients have to go to other cities to receive treatment.

Antakya is one of the districts of Hatay province. In the province, the earthquakes caused the collapse of the İskenderun State Hospital and the Antakya State Hospital, severally damage of the Special Academy State Hospital and the Special Eastern Mediterranean State Hospital and the collapse of some parts of the Antakya City Hospital. In the city, containers provide space for health services; however, they do not have medical supplies such as tomography or MRI machines. Only two hospitals have such machines. Due to the lack of medical supplies, most patients are transferred to other hospitals in nearby cities.

Filiz Gün, member of the Health and Social Services Workers' Trade Union (SES) Hatay branch, told NuJINHA that women, children and old people faced serious difficulties in accessing health services due to the lack of hospitals, health centers and medical supplies.

“Doctors provide health services in containers. We do our best to provide health services to the people; however, we have been going through a difficult period. After the earthquakes, we did not have a space to provide health services, now we have a container. Inside the container, we can provide some health services. People deserve better health services,” she said.

Pregnant women need essential healthcare services

Speaking about the problems faced by women, she said, “Pregnant women need essential healthcare services. There are routine tests during pregnancy. Normally, we check their blood pressure and monitor fetal heart rate and give information to pregnant women; however, we do not have the opportunity to do these in containers. Due to insufficient conditions, we cannot provide health services to people and people cannot receive health services that they need.”

‘Children cannot get their routine vaccinations’

Speaking about the situation of children, Filiz Gün said, “Children cannot get their routine vaccinations. Children cannot access vaccinations and healthcare services.”