Overview
Turkey has universal healthcare under its Universal Health Insurance (Genel Sağlık Sigortası) system. Under this system, all residents registered with the Social Security Institution (SGK) can receive medical treatment free of charge in hospitals contracted to the SGK. People with diabetes have 40% disability, which provides many privileges including free local transportation card, discount on tickets, and more. There is also a large private healthcare sector. Private health services often offer shorter waiting lists and higher quality services. Most banks and insurance companies offer health plans, and contract with certain hospitals and doctors.

What happens if you need to see a doctor?
If you need to go to the doctor, you can choose a private or public hospital, and there is no discount for diabetics. To get your diabetes medications, the doctor prescribes them and then you buy them at the pharmacy, at cheaper rates. If you want to buy it without a prescription, you pay full price. Patients pay high prices for glucose test strips and insulin needles because the state doesn't pay for most of it, though they pay a certain portion of certain brands of strips.

Who decides what doctors can prescribe?
Medical school graduates, doctors approved by the ministry of health, can prescribe medicine. These prescriptions are valid in pharmacies approved by the Ministry of Health authority called the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency. This is the governmental regulatory authority for human medicinal products, medical devices and cosmetics in Turkey.

Practically, what is it like to live with type 1 diabetes in Turkey?
Having diabetes in Turkey seems more difficult than in most other European countries. In other parts of Europe, there are many types of healthy foods available at an affordable price. Turkey has just started to develop in this regard. Turkey is also not far ahead in diabetic products and innovations. They are available, but they are not common or cheap. People with diabetes have to pay for the cost of needle tips, lancets, continuous glucose sensors like Dexcom and insulin pumps.

We do have diabetes camps, conferences, summits, support teams and foundations. Because there are large numbers of people with diabetes in Turkey, a lot of work is being done on behalf of us.

What about getting admitted to hospital?
There are public and private hospitals in Turkey. Patients are examined at affordable prices in public hospitals, and a certain difference is paid towards the prescribed drugs. In private hospitals, patients can be examined with health insurances or pay full fees. Private health insurance is also widely used. Health insurance can allow patients to be seen at relatively cheap prices in private hospitals. When the first diagnosis of diabetes is made, patients are followed up for a certain period of time in the hospital and they receive education.

How does diabetes care vary throughout Turkey?
While there are many opportunities in metropolitan and big cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, it is not the case in other cities. There are many people who cannot go to the doctor because they have no possibility due to lack of facilities or lack of ability to afford it. In some distant and underdeveloped parts of the city, people may not have the opportunity to go to the doctor. Occasionally people lose their lives because they did not have the education to take care of themselves or could not take medication.

We say a big thanks to Sese Yuzgec in Turkey for providing this information.