Newborn gang scandal in Türkiye: Doctors, nurses responsible for death of 10 babies

The horrifying details of the “newborn gang” scandal in Türkiye have rocked the nation.

Individuals, including doctors, nurses and hospital staff, manipulated newborn patient transfers to private hospitals for financial gain. At least 10 babies lost their lives due to the actions of the Turkish gang, as critical care was overlooked for profit.

How newborn gang scandal unraveled: Charges against 47 people

According to the Bakirkoy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 47 individuals, including 22 currently in custody, have been accused of forming an organized crime group that manipulated the transfer of critically ill newborns to private hospitals, often sending them to facilities lacking proper equipment.

These hospitals inflated bills to the Social Security Institution (SGK) and unnecessarily prolonged the newborns’ stays to increase profits. The indictment directly states that the group’s motive was financial gain, not the welfare of the babies.

The 494-page indictment holds 21 individuals accountable for infant deaths and alleges that the investigation began during the tenure of former Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

The indictment also reveals that the suspects collaborated with 112 Emergency Services to send infant patients to the neonatal units of agreed private hospitals, enabling them to gain unjust profits and contributing to the deaths of some infants. The Bakirkoy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office completed the indictment on Thursday.

Turkish gang exploiting vulnerable babies through illegal transfers

The manipulation of medical practices for profit in Türkiye’s health care system has devastating implications for families.

Key details from the ongoing investigation reveal severe misconduct:

• The leader of the criminal group is believed to be Dr. Firat Sari, who allegedly directed operations at the involved hospitals.
• Dr. Ilker Gonen and ambulance driver Giyasettin Mert Ozdemir coordinated these illegal transfers, manipulating hospital admissions for financial gain.
• Many newborns died due to improper care or infections contracted in unfit medical facilities.
• In one tragic instance, a newborn received treatment from a nurse posing as a doctor, resulting in a fatal outcome.

Testimonies by families who lost their kids surface

The chilling details of the newborn gang scandal in Turkiye include heartbreaking testimonies from families who lost their infants due to the negligence of medical staff.

• H.H. described how, during his wife’s pregnancy, they initially went to another hospital. However, when labor began suddenly, they had to switch hospitals due to the doctor suffering from a herniated disc. At the new hospital, they faced a devastating response: “They told us there was no room in the neonatal intensive care unit. They said they would notify 112, and a suitable hospital would take us. About half an hour later, they informed us that a private hospital in Bagcilar would accept us.”
• H.H. recalled, “When we arrived at the hospital, there was no doctor to attend to us. Only a midwife was present. In the morning, a doctor named B.Y. examined my wife and said a cesarean delivery was necessary. Since the pregnancy was only at 25 weeks, the baby had not fully developed, and they said they would inject something into the womb.” Tragically, despite these alarming circumstances, the family faced the heart-wrenching reality of losing their baby.
• Another devastated mother, identified as B.N., shared her grief: “They kept my daughter in intensive care longer than needed, charged us extra, and then she died. They only cared about the money.”

Turkish hospitals named in newborn gang scandal

Private hospitals, including Avcilar Hospital, Bagcilar Medilife Hospital and Beylikduzu Medilife Hospital, are now under investigation for participating in this illegal scheme.

They accepted newborns transferred by the 112 Emergency Call Center despite not having proper care facilities, with doctors absent and nurses left to care for critically ill babies. In many cases, this resulted in the babies’ deaths.

Phone conversations between members of the Turkish gang reveal their callous disregard for human life. In one recording, a nurse says, “Let’s get the money today; we’ll have fun tonight.” This blatant exploitation has fueled public outrage.

Legal action, Turkish government response to newborn gang

The Turkish government acted swiftly, suspending the operations of two hospitals and launching an in-depth investigation.

The Ministry of Health stated, “We are committed to ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.” The SGK is also revising its policies to prevent future exploitation.

Dr. Firat Sari and Dr. Ilker Gonen are facing up to 582 years in prison if convicted of “intentional killing by negligence” and “organized fraud.” The indictment calls for the permanent closure of the implicated hospitals, with all assets confiscated.