Contact details

Submitted by: Tugba Ataman, Ministry of Health, Republic of Turkey

Email: [email protected] 

Website: saglik.gov.tr 

Introduction to the project

Country 

Turkey 

Duration 

2017 - Ongoing 

Description 

The practice aims at strengthening Turkey’s national health system in coping with the healthcare needs of more than 3.6 million Syrian citizens. The project is to expand culturally-sensitive primary healthcare, providing immunization services, addressing mental health concerns of persons who have encountered trauma and enhancing the healthcare sector’s response capacity.  

The practice also aims at adopting an innovative approach and developing strategies to address language barriers affecting refugees, enhancing human rights capacity in hospitals, utilizing the skills of Syrian doctors/nurses themselves, and creating Refugee Health Centers with sufficient numbers of supervisors. 

Main activities of the Good Practice 

• Identifying Syrian doctors and nurses who could potentially be assigned to specific duties in hospitals related to ensuring that language barriers and cultural sensitivities are addressed. 
• Drafting a law in 2016 which authorizes Syrian health professionals to provide medical treatment to Syrians in Turkey in consultation with the World Health Organization (WHO). 
• The Turkish Ministry of Health approved the establishment of 180 Refugee Health Centers (RHCs) across Turkey in locations with refugee populations that are considerable in size.  
• Establishing primary health centers within RHCs where Syrian doctors or nurses are assigned in each unit. 
• Assigning sufficient Turkish doctors who would be working in cooperation with Syrian personnel and translators. 
• Ensuring that Syrian health professionals complete the WHO training programme which would also enhance their qualifications in view of obtaining their work permits. 
• Syrian nurses and WHO provided capacity-building trainings. 
• Conducting consultation sessions and interviews with patients in need. 

Partners

• World Health Organization (WHO) 

Results of the Good Practice

• Enhanced knowledge and skills of Syrian doctors and nurses.
• More efficient and faster provision of healthcare services to Syrians. 
• Improved vulnerability assessment (in terms of medical needs). 
• Improved and culturally sensitive communication processes with patients due to the employment of qualified Syrian doctors and nurses.