A Two-Year Recovery Report From the Emergency Medicine Association of Türkiye (EMAT) Perspective: The 6 February Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes.

BACKGROUND

On 6 February 2023, sequential Mw 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes devastated 11 provinces in Türkiye. Two years on, the Emergency Medicine Association of Türkiye (EMAT) assessed recovery from an emergency department (ED) perspective.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of emergency physicians and residents in the most affected provinces (Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Malatya).

RESULTS

Respondents were predominantly male (81.1%) and residents (70.3%). Family routines had partly stabilized (48.6%), yet ongoing household mental-health problems were common (54.1%). Housing remained strained: most homes were slightly damaged (59.5%); 13.5% of physicians continued to live in temporary shelters. Concerns persisted about hospital structural safety (59.4%). Equipment issues centered on delayed maintenance/repair (64.9%). ED operations suffered from crowding (70.3%), workload related to staffing gaps (67.6%), and inadequate physical space (56.8%). Academic activity was disrupted (51.4%), with perceived declines in educational standards versus non-affected provinces (40.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Two years post-earthquake, substantial deficits persist across infrastructure, workforce, equipment maintenance, psychosocial well-being, and training. EMAT recommends coordinated actions on structural safety, supply chains, psychosocial support, durable housing, academic workforce recovery, governance/coordination, targeted financial incentives, and continuous monitoring to restore resilient, high-quality emergency care in the region.