Assignments from Anatolia to Istanbul to Reinforce Healthcare Staff
If deemed necessary, healthcare personnel currently working in Anatolia may be reassigned to Istanbul to support efforts against the coronavirus outbreak. As in many countries, Turkey has been heavily affected by COVID-19, with roughly 60% of national cases observed in Istanbul. The high case load in Istanbul makes rapid reinforcement of medical teams and new containment measures particularly important. According to recent reports, doctors serving in both central and provincial units who request reassignment can be transferred to Istanbul promptly.
In a recent statement, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Atatürk Airport and Sancaktepe facilities would be converted into pandemic hospitals. Once these conversions are complete, additional health personnel can be deployed as needed. Previously the Ministry of Health had indicated that transfers of health workers between central and provincial organizations would not be permitted. However, given the concentration of cases in Istanbul and the pressing need for reinforcement, that policy has been revised in specific circumstances. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca issued a signed circular and sent it to all 81 provinces. The circular outlines the following measures.
Assigned Healthcare Workers Will Start Duty Immediately
The circular sent by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca to the 81 provincial health directorates specifies immediate actions to mobilize staff. Key points of the directive include:
- Doctors working in central or provincial units who request reassignment will be transferred to Istanbul without delay and will begin duty immediately.
- Procedures will also be carried out for appointing candidate doctors already based in Istanbul.
- Pharmacists, midwives, nurses and emergency medical technicians who seek appointment or temporary assignment to Istanbul will have their requests fulfilled.
- Dentists and staff from Oral and Dental Health Centers and related hospitals may be reassigned to areas where they are needed during the pandemic.
- Workers employed at Oral and Dental Health Centers may be assigned by provincial health directorates, with the guarantee that they will receive the wages they are entitled to.
- Health personnel who completed specialty training at university medical faculty hospitals while officially on the ministry’s payroll will be allowed to return to their ministry positions.
- Except for staff on unpaid leave following childbirth or those on authorized leave abroad, existing leaves for health personnel may be terminated so that those workers can return to duty.
These measures are intended to increase surge capacity in Istanbul quickly and to ensure staff availability across newly established pandemic treatment sites. Provincial health authorities will coordinate the logistics of transfers and immediate assignment, while maintaining appropriate compensation and personnel records. The directive emphasizes swift, organized redeployment of qualified staff to support patient care where demand is highest.