The Thalassaemia Association is staging a five-hour sit-in protest today in front of the Ministry of Health to draw attention to their medication shortages and voice their demands.
Before the sit-in protest, which will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., association officials and patients held a press conference in front of the Thalassaemia Center to address their issues.
Association officials argued that a medication that has been in use for 20 years and has been proven effective at international conferences is being replaced with a newly introduced alternative medication that has not yet proven itself. They highlighted the risks of the new medication and urged the government to take appropriate action.
“We do not trust the new medication; we do not know its effects and side effects.” said the protestors.
Speaking at the protest, Association President Çiğdem Beşevlerli stated that due to the recent unavailability of a medication that has been highly effective in treating Thalassaemia patients for years in the country, many patients have been unable to access it, emphasizing its importance in keeping many patients alive.
