Trial Begins for Medics Linked to Alleged Baby Death Scandal in Turkey
Forty-seven individuals, including doctors and nurses, face serious charges related to a neonatal care scandal in Turkey.
In Turkey, 47 medical professionals are on trial regarding a scandal that allegedly involved the unlawful transfer of newborns between hospitals for financial gain, leading to the deaths of at least ten infants. Prosecutors contend that these medical personnel made false diagnoses to justify moving babies to 19 private hospitals, where they purportedly received excessive and often unnecessary intensive care. An extensive 1,400-page indictment details a scheme wherein the defendants collectively profited from social security payments associated with each baby's hospital stay. The accused have denied any wrongdoing, stating that they acted in good faith and with the intention of providing quality care. Dr. Firat Sari, one of the defendants, emphasized adherence to established procedures during the trial. As the proceedings commenced, a demonstrative protest took place outside the Istanbul courthouse, where participants called for accountability, chanting phrases such as "baby killers will be held accountable” and demanding the closure of implicated private hospitals. The investigation was initiated following an anonymous tip-off in March 2023, resulting in the revocation of licenses for ten hospitals. Should the defendants be found guilty, they could face severe penalties including charges of negligence, fraud, and forgery.
Forty-seven individuals, including doctors and nurses, face serious charges related to a neonatal care scandal in Turkey.
In Turkey, 47 medical professionals are on trial regarding a scandal that allegedly involved the unlawful transfer of newborns between hospitals for financial gain, leading to the deaths of at least ten infants. Prosecutors contend that these medical personnel made false diagnoses to justify moving babies to 19 private hospitals, where they purportedly received excessive and often unnecessary intensive care. An extensive 1,400-page indictment details a scheme wherein the defendants collectively profited from social security payments associated with each baby's hospital stay. The accused have denied any wrongdoing, stating that they acted in good faith and with the intention of providing quality care. Dr. Firat Sari, one of the defendants, emphasized adherence to established procedures during the trial. As the proceedings commenced, a demonstrative protest took place outside the Istanbul courthouse, where participants called for accountability, chanting phrases such as "baby killers will be held accountable” and demanding the closure of implicated private hospitals. The investigation was initiated following an anonymous tip-off in March 2023, resulting in the revocation of licenses for ten hospitals. Should the defendants be found guilty, they could face severe penalties including charges of negligence, fraud, and forgery.
