Turkish healthcare worker labor and regulatory disputes

Healthcare workers in Turkey are facing increasing professional and economic instability due to regulatory changes and systemic pressures.

In August 2026, the Family Medicine Workers' Union (AHESEN) warned that new Ministry of Health regulations regarding working hours could jeopardize the funding used to employ staff at Family Health Centers (ASMs). Dr. Ahmet Kandemir noted that if specific criteria are not met, additional budget allocations for midwives, nurses, and medical secretaries could be cut, leading to potential unemployment and reduced service quality. This concern was compounded by rising operational costs and inflation.

By September 2026, the crisis expanded to include broader workload and compensation disputes. A parliamentary inquiry highlighted a potential nursing crisis, with reports of single nurses managing up to 25 patients in some units. Additionally, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) initiated legal action to overturn the Ministry of Health’s ‘individual target coefficient’ system. The TTB argues this performance-based model prioritizes quantitative quotas over the quality of care, potentially compromising patient diagnosis and treatment processes.