It has been alleged that millions were embezzled in many public institutions in the city center of Bitlis (Bêdlîs). The corruption allegations, which were brought to parliament, center around Tatvan State Hospital located in the Rahva area, as well as the Police Academy and the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports. It was learned that six people at the state hospital, including the chief physician, were demoted following the revelation of the corruption claims. In the investigation, for which inspectors were appointed, it was revealed that those named in the inquiry had organized a curtain tender, but no curtains were actually purchased, and 3.5 million Turkish lira was spent for curtains that were never received. Hüseyin Olan, Member of Parliament for Bitlis from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who brought similar corruption examples to light in the past by making them public, stated: “They are trying to cover up this corruption.”

The process began with complaints from hospital staff

Olan stated that they became aware of the situation last year following complaints from healthcare workers at Tatvan State Hospital, which has 400 beds, and other medical institutions. The reports included claims that the meals were of poor quality, staff members had been poisoned, and foreign objects were found in the food. Olan said they also received photographs documenting these complaints and brought the matter to the parliamentary agenda. However, he stated that after this process, union representatives who had raised these allegations were unlawfully subjected to mobbing and transferred to other districts.

Curtains said to be purchased are nowhere to be found

Olan noted that in April of this year, following similar complaints, the Ministry of Health sent inspectors to Tatvan State Hospital. As a result of the inspections, an operation was carried out at the hospital. Olan stated that the chief physician Gökmen Reyhanlı, three deputy chief physicians, and two deputy hospital administrators were demoted and sent back to their previous positions. He stated that around 90% of the administrative personnel gave statements during the investigation, and it was alleged that a total of approximately 36 million Turkish lira in corruption had been uncovered.

Olan noted that the dismissed administrators emptied their offices in a rush and emphasized that this information is certain. He also said that other corruption allegations have reached them from various sources but have not yet been confirmed by official reports.

Payment made to contractor to prevent exposure of corruption

Olan stated that they had not yet received the inspector’s reports, but according to the allegations, a curtain procurement worth 3.5 million Turkish lira was shown as completed, although no curtains were actually present. He also said there was an initiative to make a payment to the contractor in order to cover up this discrepancy. Olan pointed out that after being removed from their positions, the administrators all obtained one-month health reports at the same time to avoid returning to their previous duties, and he expressed that these reports were suspicious.

Olan stated: “The inspector’s report may only include the curtain issue, but after all, the inspector is an employee of the Ministry of Health. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that they are acting under government control. In our opinion, many things were swept under the rug. What remains now are things that can no longer be hidden or covered up.”

Silence in the health commission: The allegations are true

Olan stated that during a meeting of the Health Commission in Parliament, he directly questioned Deputy Minister of Health Associate Professor Dr. Şuayip Birinci about the operation in Tatvan, but the Commission Chair intervened and did not allow the Deputy Minister to speak. He said, “If these incidents had not taken place, if the inspector had not gone, if statements had not been taken, the Deputy Minister would have said ‘these claims are baseless.’ But the fact that no explanation was given shows that the allegations are true.”

No oversight, no merit

Hüseyin Olan emphasized that tenders are not being audited and that there is not even supervision over whether meals are actually being served, pointing to a serious lack of oversight in public institutions. He also stated that during the local election period, Chief Physician Gökmen Reyhanlı gathered hospital staff in the cafeteria under the pretext of a “meeting,” only to confront them with the mayoral candidate of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Olan noted that all these incidents have deeply disturbed healthcare workers and that public institutions are now being managed not through merit but through loyalty. Referring to the words of health workers who said, “We want to serve. We struggle to provide healthcare to our people. We do not want to be associated with corruption and theft,” Olan underlined that such incidents, which undermine public trust, must not be covered up.

Fictitious shifts and favoritism

Hüseyin Olan also drew attention to other irregularities within the hospital. He stated that a doctor responsible for assigning emergency room shifts allegedly assigned fictitious night shifts to individuals affiliated with their own union. After this was revealed, the doctor was reportedly removed from their position and transferred to the 112 Emergency Call Center. Olan claimed that this move was a way to cover up the incident.

A 19 million TL feast was eaten

Olan emphasized that the corruption allegations are not limited to Tatvan State Hospital. He stated that among the public, there are claims of 47 million Turkish lira in corruption at the Bitlis Police Academy. He also claimed that during a youth festival organized by the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports in Xelat, 19.7 million Turkish lira was spent on food.

Olan questioned the expenses with the following words: “How can such a large amount be spent on food at a youth event? Where was this money spent at the police academy? Most likely, again under the guise of food.”

We will follow these corruption cases closely

DEM Party MP Hüseyin Olan stated that they will not let these incidents go and that they will closely follow the corruption taking place in all public institutions, especially at Tatvan State Hospital. He said, “It is our duty to expose whatever is being swept under the rug. We will not let people be robbed of what is rightfully theirs.”