Smoking ban is expanding. The Law on the Organization of the Ministry of Health and its Affiliated Organizations is being amended and the ban on smoking in public transport will be extended to private vehicles.
The draft law reached by Fatmanur Boylu from Gazete Habertürk also includes a critical regulation that concerns millions of drivers. Accordingly, the smoking ban in public transportation vehicles will be extended to private vehicles. With the new regulation, “those sitting in the driver’s seats of private vehicles” will also be banned from smoking.
ONE TYPE PACKAGE
With the regulation, tobacco products produced or imported in Turkey will be placed on the market in a uniformly designed flat standard package format, including the brand’s typeface, font, font size, position on the package, color of the packages, other writings, phrases and shapes. The brand will be written on a single surface of the package and not exceeding 5 percent of the surface. The logo, symbol or other signs of the brand cannot be placed on the packages.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Some changes will also be made to the structure of the Ministry of Health organization, the public hospitals institution and some affiliated institutions. Provincial health directors will be given more authority. According to the draft, the contracts of contracted personnel working in Public Hospitals Union General Secretariats and affiliated hospitals will expire after the publication of the relevant article. Those assigned to contracted positions from public institutions and organizations will return to their staff positions, and those appointed from open positions will be dismissed. Health workers’ on-call pay will be increased. The Ministry of Health will provide a private insurance policy for 3 years to cover damages incurred by the woman and child due to normal delivery. The period can be extended up to 6 years. Family physicians will be able to work until the age of 72.
COMPANY IS BEING SET UP
A joint stock company (USHAŞ) will be established under the title of International Health Services to develop policies and strategies for international health services, determine service delivery standards and accreditation criteria, and support the country’s health tourism activities. This company will prepare the price tariffs of international health services and submit them to the ministry for approval.
Source:www.milliyet.com.tr
