İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Eşrefpaşa Hospital completed the installation of the field hospital in Hatay. From x-ray to analysis, from dental diseases to the operating room, all the facilities in İzmir were moved to Hatay. Saying that they treat at least 150 patients a day, Eşrefpaşa Hospital Deputy Chief Physician Op. Dr. Yavuz Uçar said, “We established the Hatay branch of Eşrefpaşa. We are at your service 24 hours a day,” he said.
İzmir Metropolitan Municipality's Eşrefpaşa Hospital, which has embraced earthquake victims in Hatay since the first day of the earthquake that shook Turkey, established a field hospital in the region. Eşrefpaşa Field Hospital, located one kilometer from the tent city established by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality on the Hatay EXPO road, has brought the facilities in İzmir to Hatay. In the field hospital, there are practice and dormitory tents, mobile operating room, mobile x-ray machine, mobile dental unit, mobile dental vehicle, ambulance, laboratory, mobile ultrasound, pharmacy tent. In the field hospital, specialist physicians and health personnel are on duty. Thus, earthquake victims can get the best health care they can get from a hospital here.
“Hatay branch of Eşrefpaşa”
Esrefpasa Hospital Deputy Chief Physician Op. Dr. Yavuz Uçar said, “First of all, we served in the garden of Hatay Training and Research Hospital in coordination with AFAD, UMKE and the Ministry of Health. Later, we established our own field hospital in the place where tent cities are dense. We made the necessary preparations in the area allocated by Hatay Metropolitan Municipality. We established the Hatay branch of Eşrefpaşa. All kinds of equipment are available in our field hospital. We have completed the installation of our fully equipped operating room. If necessary, we will start surgeries. We set up a small laboratory. We do hemogram and urinalysis. Our biochemistry tool is also on the way. We will be able to sterilize our own surgical equipment. We have no shortage of medical equipment," he said.
“We continue to serve in the field hospital for 24 hours”
Underlining that they also reached the citizens of the villages who could not come to the Field Hospital, Uçar said, “Again, we have created a field infirmary in the tent city, in addition to our field hospital. Our doctors are there during the day trying to find solutions to the problems of the patients. We continue to serve in the field hospital for 24 hours. We provide services on both sides in order not to say 'go there' or 'go here' to our patients who come here. In the midst of all this pain, as Eşrefpaşa Hospital, we are trying to be a piece of ointment for the wounds of our earthquake victims. "We are doing everything we can to protect our children and families," he said.
Treat at least 150 patients per day
Stating that Eşrefpaşa Hospital teams offer treatment to at least 150 patients a day, Uçar said, “We think that the patient diversity will be the same as we provide service in Eşrefpaşa Hospital in İzmir. Currently, people are staying in tents and temporary shelters. Collective life is intense. The teams of our municipality are constantly spraying the areas. There are problems experienced by earthquake victims affected by cold air and dust. Respiratory infections started. Internal diseases and skin diseases began to be added to this. "We are trying to deal with all of this," he said.
“We are here for both oral and dental health and morale”
Eşrefpaşa Hospital Dentist Koray Engin, who gave information about the dental polyclinic established in the field hospital, said, “We came here to support the people of the region. Our specialist physicians provide service in the region at intervals of one week. We intervene in our patients with the portable dental unit. We have an x-ray machine to take mobile teeth. Whatever we can do, we are here for both oral and dental health and morale. We are very strong, we can do anything. We inform our friends who will come after us about the shortcomings and situations here, and we are working for the health of our earthquake victims by increasing our service every day.”