Main opposition CHP leader criticizes pandemic policies

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has criticized the government over its policies introduced against the pandemic, reiterating that medical experts' advises must be heard in fighting the virus.

Kılıçdaroğlu held a meeting with Şebnem Korur Fincancı, the head of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) at the CHP headquarters on Nov. 26, a day after the Health Ministry informed that Turkey recorded more than 28,000 new cases in the past 24 hours. It was the first time the ministry shared information about the new cases as the daily figures it had been publishing so far were patients who were showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters, Korur Fincancı claimed that the figures of the new cases given by the ministry were not corresponding to the reality as their own study showed that cases were much higher.

Kılıçdaroğlu, for his part, stressed, "We trust what the doctors are telling. Because these are the doctors who are dealing with it primarily, trying to look after the patients."

The government is not listening to the professionals, Kılıçdaroğlu said. "This is wrong both politically and ethically. Who is to blame has now been revealed. Now we know who is telling the truth. They [the government] had to admit it."

Kılıçdaroğlu referred to Health Minister Fahrettin Koca who for the first time informed the public about the daily new cases of COVID-19. The ministry's daily figures were just containing those who had grave symptoms. Koca informed that Turkey recorded 28,351 new cases on Nov. 25, while the number of patients — those showing symptoms — were 6,814.

Korur Fincancı, for her part, stressed that the death toll will increase if the...