The Effect of Syrian Refugees on Health Services In Şanlıurfa, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study is to put forward the present situation of health services in Şanlıurfa. In
this descriptive study, features of population and health services delivery system (labour
force, infrastructure, use of service etc) are focused. Data are compared with the average of
Turkey and the number of Syrian refugees is considered. Data are obtained from Ministry of
Health 2018 Statistical Year Book, Turkish Statistical Institute and Şanlıurfa Provincial
Directorate of Health. For the categorization of data, analyses are made with average and
percentage values. While the rate of Syrian refugees to total population in Turkey is 4.41%.
this rate is 22.3% in Şanlıurfa. When the number of doctors per 1000 analysed, the rate is 1.87
across Turkey, and 1.11 in Şanlıurfa. When Syrian refugees are included, this rate falls into
1.79 in Turkey and 0.90 in Şanlıurfa. When medical devices analysed by including Syrian
refugees, it is seen that the number of people per medical devices rises to the rate of 6.8%
across Turkey, this number is 22.3% in Şanlıurfa. There are 20 hospitals, 13 public, 1
university and 6 private hospitals, in Şanlıurfa. Rapid population growth and migration of
more than 400.000 Syrian refugees to this region make the resources of health services, which
is already insufficient, worse and more inaccessible