Turkey: Owners of clinics and doctors charged with the death of 10 newborns, victims of massive social security fraud

Ten died in private hospitals, victims of a massive fraud against the social security system: the trial of those responsible for this worst health care scandal that has occurred for years began on Monday (18.11.2024) in Istanbul. In court, where a huge number of journalists and relatives of the victims collapsed on Monday, 47 suspects are tried on the charge of participating in this “neighbour gang”, as Turkey’s media call it. Authorities believe that private clinic owners, doctors, ambulance crews and emergency callers were involved in the network. As part of the fraud, healthy babies were sometimes placed for many weeks in intensive care facilities in neonatal clinics and their parents were told false medical reasons. Other babies who really needed such treatments did not receive them. The goal was for social security services to compensate for £8,000 (about 220 euros) a day for private hospitals where infants were treated – in addition to the amounts paid by parents. The profits were then shared by the members of the circuit. According to the indictment, an area of 1,400 pages, of negligence and abuse, at least ten infants died in the neonatal units of these hospitals. In late October 350 lawsuits had been filed for this case, according to the Turkish media. Protesters placed empty stroll carts outside the court “The night I gave birth, my baby was fine. The next day, we were told that our baby had three thromboses, experienced hypertension and respiratory distress (…) Then we were told they would carry it,” Nazli Ahi told the Anadolu agency, who gave birth to a private hospital in Istanbul in April 2023. Her baby died a few days later, after entering the intensive care unit of one of the hospitals that have been targeted by authorities. “If they told us they wanted money I would give them billions to give me my child,” the mother added. Protesters placed empty stroll carts outside the court where the trial is held this morning. “Dead babies will not grow” wrote a message, in capital letters, in one of them. Others were told the consequences of privatisation of the Turkish health system. A total of nine private hospitals in Istanbul – one of which belongs to a former Minister of Health (2013-16) coming from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party – and a provincial closed down by authorities after fraud was revealed. There are nine other nursing institutions suspected. The defendants are being prosecuted for negligent manslaughter, fraud against the public and an organization for the purpose of committing a crime. If they are found guilty they may be sentenced to hundreds of years in prison. President Erdogan, who has stated that he is “following this case in person”, promised that “with the utmost rigour” the perpetrators “of this barbarity” would be dealt with.