Surgical robot valued at $2.5 mln reported missing from Ankara state hospital

A report from Turkey's Court of Accounts revealed that a surgical Da Vinci robot valued at $2.5 million was listed as missing from a hospital in the capital Ankara. A $350,000 Excimer laser was also determined to be missing from the hospital, which opened its doors in early 2019, and is the largest hospital in Turkey with 3,704 beds.

Duvar English

A surgical Da Vinci robot, valued at $2.5 million, was listed as missing from the Bilkent City state hospital in the capital of Ankara, according to a report by Turkey's Court of Accounts.

The report indicated 294 medical devices were being kept in a storage space in the Ankara hospital and not being used, while other equipment that should have been sent to the hospital was found at another state hospital in the Mediterranean province of Mersin.

A $350,000 Excimer laser was also determined to be missing from the hospital, which opened its doors in early 2019, and is the largest hospital in Turkey with 3,704 beds.

Bilkent City Hospital was also discovered to have been built in ways that violated contract, including an area of more than 6,000 square meters that was built with plasterboard instead of laminated walls with lead coating.

Some of the medical equipment was brought to the hospital from other closed hospitals, while other equipment used at the hospital was determined to be unhealthy and insufficient.

The Court of Accounts report also noted that the construction of the hospital was not completed on time, though the company responsible did not pay the required severance fees stipulated in the contract.