PHM-Exch> IAHPE’s Statement on Persecution of Prof. Kayıhan Pala

[Richa Chintan]

IAHPE’s statement on the persecution of Prof. Kayıhan Pala for questioning
the management of the COVID19 crisis in Turkey
Date: 17 July 2020
<https://iahponline.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/iahpes-statement-on-the-persecution-of-prof-kayihan-pala-for-questioning-the-management-of-the-covid19-crisis-in-turkey/>
Author: iahponline <https://iahponline.wordpress.com/author/iahponline/>0
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<https://iahponline.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/iahpes-statement-on-the-persecution-of-prof-kayihan-pala-for-questioning-the-management-of-the-covid19-crisis-in-turkey/#respond>

Since the COVID19 outbreak and the spread of the pandemic, various aspects
concerning the preparedness of public health systems and the management of
the crisis by governments of many countries have been placed under
scrutiny. Following a decade of austerity policies, commercialization and
privatization, impoverished public health systems have proved incapable of
providing trustworthy public health policies, prompt and reliable data,
efficient epidemiological surveillance, proper equipment and sufficient
staff, with often disastrous consequences for public health. In addition to
these failings, extreme right-wing governments are increasingly
demonstrating hostility to public health authorities [e.g. CDC, WHO] with
prominent examples being the US, Brazil and Turkey. The persecution of
critical individuals by the Turkish authorities manifests a particularly
disturbing phenomenon.

Responding to questions forwarded by the website enBursa.com on 21 April
2020, Prof. Kayıhan Pala, a public health expert and member of the COVID-19
Monitoring Board of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), shared his
knowledge, opinions and suggestions along with some criticisms, including
concealment of information concerning the state of the epidemic in Bursa
province, placing limitations on the sharing of data, lack of transparency
in combat efforts, shortage of testing centers; reluctance to authorize the
Faculty of Medicine of Uludağ University to provide tests; and refusal to
supply water, in this sensitive period, free of charge or at a reduced
price.

Rather than endorsing and promoting responsible social policies, the
Turkish authorities are persecuting Prof. Kayıhan Pala, who only fulfilled
his social and professional duty.

We, the International Association of Health Policy in EUROPE [IAHPE], call
for the Turkish authorities to immediately drop all actions against Prof.
Kayıhan Pala. We also call on the international scientific community to
actively demonstrate their solidarity with him as well as with other
individuals persecuted for demonstrating social responsibility. Academic
freedom, transparency and accountability must be assured at all times, and
certainly during a pandemic.
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