Turkish health tourism reopens to patients worldwide

By Duygu Yener

ANKARA (AA) – Following its success against the coronavirus outbreak, Turkey is now accepting health tourism patients from countries worldwide.

After accepting patients from 31 countries, Turkey’s Health Ministry announced Thursday that people from all countries are eligible.

Turkey will accept all patients who require treatment in all major and minor branches, as well as reproductive therapy, organ, bone marrow, and stem cell transplants, robotic surgery, bariatric surgery, and interventional radiology, the ministry said in a statement.

Patients and their companions will be able to enter the country by both land and air.

Air transportation will be allowed at airports in Istanbul, the capital Ankara, and Antalya, while land transportation will be through the Kapikule border gate with Bulgaria, Sarp border gate with Georgia, and Habur border gate with Iraq.

The statement went on to say that hospitals that accept international patients must obtain an International Health Tourism Authorization Certificate issued by the ministry.

To ensure their safety, a dedicated floor or corridor or other hospital area will be reserved for health tourism patients, so that no other patient or companion comes into contact with them, the statement added.

With patients from abroad drawn by both its high-quality service and lower prices, in 2018 Turkey earned some $1.5 billion from medical tourism.