Association to halt services over doctor killing in Turkey

GAZİANTEP - Hürriyet

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The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has announced today that medical personnel around the country will halt all non-emergency services tomorrow over the killing of a doctor, daily Hürriyet reported.

A doctor died on the operation table after being stabbed several times by the 17-year-old relative of a former patient. Dr. Ersin Arslan had been battling to stay alive after the incident, but lost his stuggle following an eight hour surgery.

The attacker was a relative of an 80-year old cancer patient, who had been treated by Arslan until eventually passing away ten days ago.

Arslan's colleagues held a demonstration outside the hospital to condemn violence against health personnel.

The Minister of Health released a press statement following Arslan's death, saying he was "deeply saddened by the fact that a member of the health family, who had been working day and night with great self-sacrifice, has died."

Minister Recep Akdağ further praised "the extraordinary work of our doctors and all of our health staff, despite being outnumbered," and promised to work on "every precaution that has to be taken to reduce violence in health institutions."