Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan, president of the Cyprus Turkish Medical Association, said patient rights must be placed at the heart of health policy, in a written statement issued for Patient Rights Day on 26 October. He called for healthcare to be delivered on the basis of human dignity, patient rights, freedoms and mutual respect.
Dalkan stressed that every individual, regardless of identity, sexual orientation, economic or social status, or health insurance coverage, is entitled to high-quality, safe, accessible and equal healthcare.
He listed respect for human dignity, protection of privacy, access to accurate and understandable information about one's health, participation in treatment decisions and informed consent among the fundamental rights of patients, adding that these can only be safeguarded by a strong, fair and sustainable health system.
Dalkan warned that inequalities in healthcare, shortages of infrastructure and staff in health facilities, long waiting times and poor-quality services can directly affect people's right to health.
To address these problems, he said public health services must be strengthened, working conditions for health workers improved, and the system managed in a scientific, transparent and accountable way. He described doctors' professional independence, together with adequate manpower and infrastructure, as basic conditions for delivering care in line with scientific and ethical principles, and said health workers' pay, reasonable working hours and opportunities for continuous professional development should also be guaranteed.
Dalkan concluded by urging support for the Nicosia Declaration on Patient Rights, which incorporates these principles.
