Ministry to cover medical expenses of foreign patients arriving for treatment

ANKARA

The medical expenses of up to 7,000 foreign patients who arrive in Türkiye for treatment from war-torn or disaster-stricken countries will be free of charge, according to a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette.

The decree, orchestrated under the coordination of the Foreign Ministry and with the endorsement of the Health Ministry, mandates that these patients must receive treatment exclusively at state-affiliated health institutions or state-owned university hospitals.

The medical services, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, orthotics-prosthetics and materials for these patients will be covered within the purview of the ministry's expenditures.

This decision, misinterpreted by some social media users and certain news channels as an initiative to cover the treatments of existing migrants in Türkiye, has led to both confusion and backlash.

In response to the backlash, the Presidential Communications Directorate clarified that the decree encompasses foreigners brought to Türkiye for treatment from countries ravaged by wars, conflicts or natural disasters, not existing migrants.

“The patient cohort mentioned in the decree pertains to the victims brought to our country for treatment primarily from conflict-ridden areas such as Palestine, as part of humanitarian aid efforts,” the statement said.