Health, vaccinations and medical care in Turkey

Treatment and who pays

• Private hospitals in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya are genuinely good, often with English-speaking staff and short waits.
• They expect payment or a written confirmation from your insurer before treatment. Have the policy number and the 24-hour line to hand.
• State hospitals treat emergencies and are more crowded, with less English.
• Travel insurance is essential, and should cover repatriation.
• Pharmacies, "eczane", are excellent, open late on a rota, and pharmacists give real advice. Many medicines that need a prescription at home are available over the counter and cheap.

Medical tourism, carefully

Turkey is one of the world's largest destinations for hair transplants, dental work and cosmetic surgery, and most of it is competent and much cheaper than at home.

• Standards vary enormously between clinics. The price difference between a good clinic and a bad one is smaller than you think.
• The FCDO has warned about complications and deaths following procedures booked on price alone.
• Ordinary travel insurance does not cover elective surgery or its complications, including the flight home if something goes wrong.
• Check the surgeon's registration, not the clinic's marketing. Ask who is actually performing the procedure.
• Allow proper recovery time before flying.

Water, food and sun

• Tap water is chlorinated and safe for brushing teeth and washing food. Almost nobody drinks it, including Turks, because of the taste and old pipework. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere.
• Food hygiene is generally good. Busy places with high turnover are the safe bet, as everywhere.
• Summer heat on the coast and in the southeast is severe, regularly over 40 °C. Midday shade, salt and water.
• The sun is stronger than northern Europeans expect, and a boat trip is where people get burnt.

Vaccinations and animals

• No vaccinations are required for entry. Check routine cover, plus hepatitis A and typhoid for longer or rural trips.
• Rabies is present. Turkey has a large and mostly healthy street animal population, and Istanbul's cats are famously well cared for. Do not touch stray dogs, and treat any bite or scratch as urgent: wash it, then get medical advice the same day.
• Mosquitoes are a nuisance rather than a disease risk in the tourist regions.