Page 88 - Syrians in Türkiye - Special Report

GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TÜRKİYE THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

The Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) report titled The Effects
of Syrian Refugees on Türkiye 2015 states that in state hospitals in the border provinces
Syrians receive between 30% and 40% of total services; for this reason, there is a capacity
problem in the border province state hospitals. Not only refugees in Türkiye but also
people living in Syria who were injured in clashes are being treated in these hospitals,
and there is a capacity problem in terms of both physical conditions and healthcare
workers. Local people who think that they cannot receive services because of capacity
problems are also reacting. The report mentions that public health has also been
adversely affected: certain diseases that used to be unseen in Türkiye, such as measles,
dengue disease, and poliomyelitis, have started to appear again in the border provinces.
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Gaziantep province had the highest number of measles cases in 2013. Although
the vaccine had stopped being used in Türkiye, children in the 0-5 age group in the
border provinces have all now been vaccinated for polio. During the research visits and
meetings that we arranged, we observed a serious capacity need for healthcare in the
areas with concentrated Syrian populations, as well as occasional complaints from local
people that they cannot access health services.

Syrians under temporary protection can make use of migrant health centers, health
service providers of the Ministry of Health and its affiliates, university healthcare
practice and research centers, private hospitals, and voluntary health centers. Those
who are under temporary protection are required to use health services local to their
registered addresses, and if they cannot be treated in the province where they live, then
necessary referral procedures are performed. While applications can be made directly
to secondary and tertiary health institutions belonging to the Ministry’s affiliated
institutions without referrals, applications to the university health practice and research
centers and private hospitals cannot be done directly; patients can go to these institutions
by referral when necessary. Syrians in Türkiye who have done initial registration and are
waiting for temporary protection are also provided primary level basic health services.

Within the framework of the protocol between the Ministry of Health and AFAD, the
fees for health services offered to those under temporary protection are paid by AFAD
to the Ministry of Health. Only emergency health services can be offered to those
who are not under temporary protection. According to the Health Implementation
Regulation, all services offered to Turkish citizens are also offered to Syrians under
temporary protection, and at the same time, the medical and medical device needs of
those under temporary protection are covered by AFAD under STP’s supervision. The

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Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, The Effects of Syrian Refugees on Türkiye: Report No. 195, January
2015 (accessed January 26, 2017); available from http://tesev.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Suriyeli_
Siginmacilarin_Turkiyeye_Etkileri.pdf..

88 SYRIANS IN TÜRKİYE SPECIAL REPORT