After registering with the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in the province where you reside, you will obtain your identification document (Kimlik) from the Turkish authorities. (Please note that the timeframe for registering and obtaining the identification document may vary from one province to another, depending on the different number of applicants in each province and the capacity of each PDMM.)
As a registered individual (as long as you hold an international protection applicant or beneficiary identification document with a number starting with 99), you would be eligible for the available assistance provided by the Turkish authorities in your place of registration.
With your identification document, you are included on an equal footing with Turkish citizens under the General Health Insurance provided by the Social Security Institution. This means that you have access to all levels of medical services provided by Turkish health institutions, including family care centres, state hospitals and university hospitals.
You can also approach public health centres (toplum sağlığı merkezi in Turkish) in your province to benefit from primary health services free of charge. Unless there is an official referral from other state health institutions, you would need to pay the expenses at private hospitals and clinics.
If you are not registered with the Turkish authorities, only emergency services at the hospitals would be available and accessible to you free of charge. In this case, you may also approach private hospitals or clinics; however, you would need to pay the expenses.
UNHCR and its partners also provide counselling and assistance to persons with serious medical conditions. Find the contact details here.
Medicines
Individuals holding an international protection applicant or beneficiary identification document (with a foreigner’s ID number starting with 99) are included on an equal footing with Turkish citizens under the General Health Insurance provided by the Social Security Institution. This includes the provisions relating to medication.
With your international protection applicant or beneficiary identification document, you can approach any pharmacy with your prescription and obtain your medication prescribed by your doctor. Medicines in Turkey are not totally free and imported medicines cannot be covered by the Social Security Institution. As is the case for all Turkish citizens, you would have to pay 20% of the total cost of medicines as a contribution fee.
If you have a chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, or asthma that requires you to take medicine regularly, you can approach a state hospital and ask them to issue you with a medication report. By submitting your medication report to the pharmacy, you may be considered for exemption from the contribution fee.
Psychological assistance
You can approach primary health clinics or public hospitals which provide psychological and psychiatric support in the province of your residence. You can apply at state hospitals to get an appointment for psychiatric assistance. If the hospital does not have a psychiatry department or doctor available, you will be referred to another hospital or city accordingly. This support and treatment will be covered under your health insurance as an international protection applicant or beneficiary.
You can also approach the Social Service Centres (SSC) under the coordination of the Provincial Directorates of Family and Social Policies (PDoFSP) for psychological assistance. It is important to note, however, that not all PDoFSP have interpreters available at their centres.
UNHCR’s partner organizations may also have psychologists who provide psychological support in the province where you are residing. They may also provide you with interpreter assistance to help you in accessing governmental services. Please consult UNHCR and/or its partners to find out about whether they are present in your city of residence and to learn about the services they provide.
Interpreter assistance for hospitals
If you require an interpreter to help you communicate with hospital staff, you may be able to seek assistance from UNHCR’s partner organizations in the province where you are residing. Unfortunately, given the workload and daily services provided by partner organizations, interpreters may not be available on short notice or for every single appointment. Some hospitals may also have interpreters available.
To find out more about interpreter assistance for hospitals, you can also get in touch with the UNHCR Counselling Line by calling 444 48 68.
If you would like to learn more about both adults and children’s reactions to emergencies and disasters as well as grieving process and coping mechanisms, you may visit the available brochures below:
- Adults’ reactions following disasters and emergencies and suggestions for coping.
- Children’s reactions after disasters and emergencies and suggestions for families.
- Bereavement in adults and living with grief.
- Grief in children and suggestions for families.