Turkish patient in Germany brought to Istanbul due to inadequate health care

A Turkish cancer patient who lives in the German city of Kassel was brought to Istanbul early Friday by an ambulance plane sent by Turkey's Health Ministry for treatment.

The plane carrying Ahmet Demiray landed at Ataturk Airport at 00:30 a.m. (2130GMT Thursday).

He was then taken to a private hospital where he will be treated.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Demiray's daughter, Reyhan, said they petitioned the Turkish Consulate General in Frankfurt to be transferred to Turkey after her 64-year-old father could not receive adequate treatment in Germany.

"On the 23rd of January, my dad fell seriously ill at home, so I called the paramedics. After the examinations, they tried to get rid of us by saying 'We should not take him to the hospital if it is fine for you, but you can take him to your own family doctor,'" she said.

She went on to say that after she insisted, they were able to hospitalize her father, adding there is no option to choose a hospital in Germany.

Reyhan added that she witnessed that her father could not receive good care at the hospital in Germany.

She said her father's doctor told her that "Demiray has cancer. There is no cure for it, there is no surgery. You wanted to take your father to Turkey. And where would you like your father to die?"

She thanked the Turkish authorities for transporting her father to Turkey.