Podcast8 million consult with psychiatry clinic in three years in Turkey
Some 7,953,651 people have consulted with psychiatry clinics in the last three years, 69 percent female and 31 percent male, said Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca in his response to a parliamentary question.
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Some 7,953,651 people have consulted with psychiatry clinics in the last three years, 69 percent female and 31 percent male, said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca as a partial response to a parliamentary question.
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy İrfan Kaplan from the southeastern province of Gaziantep had presented a parliamentary question asking the number of people who have consulted with a psychiatry clinic for depression, the distribution among cities and sex, and the number of individuals using antidepressants.
Minister Koca only responded to two of the questions.
"It's surprising to receive an answer for even one question in these times when the Palace is trying to take away the functions of parliament," said Kaplan.
Kaplan also interpreted the response from the Health Ministry as a symptom of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government.
"The huge economic crisis, unemployment and poverty have deteriorated our citizens' mental health. By turning unemployment and poverty into chronic problems, AKP has drained citizens' hope, " Kaplan said.