Ministry mulls private hospital reforms amid gang probe

ANKARA

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu has announced sweeping reforms targeting private hospitals amid a scandal involving the deaths of newborns, which has sparked public outrage in the country.

For the past week, Türkiye has been gripped by revelations of one of the largest health care scandals in its history, in which a criminal syndicate colluded with private hospitals to fraudulently admit newborns into intensive care units under false pretenses to exploit the social security system.

These infection-prone units, rife with illicit practices, are reportedly responsible for the deaths of at least 12 infants, while others have suffered lasting disabilities.

In a statement on the evening of Oct. 20, the health minister emphasized that inspections of private hospitals would now occur "more frequently than ever before."

The existing audit mechanisms will be revamped, with the creation of expert commissions comprising specialized physicians and academics across various medical fields, Memişoğlu noted.

The ministry’s inspection teams will be deployed at full capacity, not just for neonatal care but across all hospital departments to ensure comprehensive oversight.

Structural reforms for private healthcare institutions have also been placed on the ministry's agenda, he said.

Media reports have suggested that the scandal involving the Istanbul-based "newborn gang" may have spread to other cities, with indications that similar practices could have affected adult patients as well.

In an earlier statement, Memişoğlu revealed that the investigation began last year following a petition submitted to the electronic complaint system.

So far, the court has arrested 22 of the 47 suspects, including ringleader Dr. Fırat Sarı. Some members of the organization, acknowledging their crimes, have sought leniency by expressing remorse and offering to cooperate with authorities in an apparent attempt to reduce their prison sentences.