Parents lose faith in pediatricians after ‘newborn gang’ scandal: Expert
ISTANBUL
The "newborn gang" scandal, involving the deaths of infants unnecessarily kept in intensive care units for financial gain, has ignited nationwide outrage and eroded families' trust in both medical professionals and the health care system, says an expert.
“We have just begun to see the outcomes of a few physicians involved in such a harrowing case, as an issue of trust [toward thousands of physicians] has emerged among families,” Professor Haluk Çokuğraş, the head of a Turkish pediatrics association, told private broadcaster NTV.
The case centers on a scheme that allegedly exploited the country’s social security system through fraudulent admissions of infants into intensive care units. At least 12 newborn deaths have been attributed to infection-prone units at private health care institutions, with several surviving infants now suffering from long-term disabilities.
Çokuğraş noted that in the aftermath of this horrific incident, several pediatricians have recently faced challenges in convincing parents to accept specific treatments, resulting in a surge of conflicts between families and physicians.
However, this erosion of trust could lead to more serious consequences in the future, as a baby in need of intensive care who does not receive it may end up suffering from irreparable conditions.
“Neonatal period is an extremely delicate process, covering the first four weeks of existence. That is why a profession has emerged specifically to handle this process,” he said, referring to the crucial significance of pediatricians and their profession.
Çokuğraş, therefore, urged families to trust pediatricians and their treatment of choice, highlighting that they, as pediatricians, support families fully in this difficult process. He simultaneously called on pediatricians to act with a sense of understanding in response to such concerns.
