ANKARA
Turkey is targeting to become the second Dubai in special health services by having hospitals, rehabilitation centres, thermal tourism facilities, elderly care and holiday villages.
Dursun Aydin, the head of the Health Tourism Department of Turkish Ministry of Health, talked to AA about the creation of special health zones and healing centres in Turkey and said that Turkey drew great attention of foreign investors.
Aydin clarified that with the new code of law, they were aiming to develop the health tourism and create an model concept for the rest of the health sector in the region.
By achieving the targets, they plan to improve the foreign investment inflow, increase employment, bring in the skilled foreign member of staff, speed up the use of high medical technology and encourage production of services and investments.
Dursun Aydin pointed that they were holding plans on the creation of special health zones and said that they were working on the topics of; working with medics who cannot speak Turkish, short term works of foreign consultant medics, agreements with Social Security Institution (SGK), use of ER services outside the special health zones and treatment of 85 percent foreign patients.
He also added that Dubai and Iran have special heath zones and healing centres and included that the Iranian health zone only stayed as a project and never completed for serving.
He highlighted that Oman, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico are planning to set up special health zones too.
Dursun Aydin said that the announcement of management firms will be made in December and investments and the building and zoning operations will take start next year.
Reporting by Selma Biyikli
