One doctor per 653 people in Turkey, health union study reveals
Reported March 14, 2009
There is one doctor for every 653 people in Turkey, where the largest number of doctors is in Istanbul and the smallest number is in the northeastern province of Bayburt, a study has revealed.
The Turkish Health Care Workers’ Union (Türk Saglik-Sen) issued a report mapping physician density throughout Turkey by region and province on the occasion of Medicine Day, which is celebrated today in Turkey. The study revealed that there are nearly 108,000 doctors in the country, 62,926 of whom are working at institutions controlled by the Turkish Health Ministry. Among those who are working for the ministry, 26,330 doctors are specialists while the other 36,596 are general practitioners and assistants.
The report further revealed that Istanbul, the most crowded province of Turkey, has the highest number of doctors with 7,039. Istanbul is followed by Ankara with 4,783 and Izmir with 3,962. Bayburt has the lowest number of doctors in the country with 77. The eastern province of Tunceli and the northeastern province of Ardahan follow Bayburt with 78 and 80 doctors, respectively.
According to the report, Turkey ranks 52nd in terms of physician density on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European zone rankings, which cover 53 countries, and is at the bottom of the list when it comes to the ratio of nurses to population.
The report noted that while health services have quadrupled, the need for health care workers has not been met. Highlighting that the number of clinics had increased from 66 million in 2002 to 217 million in 2008, the report said, “The self-sacrificing work of health care workers lies behind the success achieved in health services.” It was further noted in the report that important developments in the infrastructure of health services have been achieved during the past five years; however, the report said Turkey falls short in its personnel policies and employment of medical staff.
Evaluating the study findings in the report, Türk Saglik-Sen President Önder Kahveci stated that in a country where there is one doctor for every 653 people, the doctor problem must be solved. He said the conditions that medical personnel have to work under are shameful and even dangerous. “Health care workers are providing services, and so to say, putting their lives in danger,” he added.