Family doctor shock for foreigners in Alanya

Foreign residents living in Alanya are now forced, due to the Ministry of Health’s new regulation, to apply not to the family doctor nearest to their residence but to the family health center located in the old State Hospital building. This situation especially creates significant difficulties for elderly and disabled individuals.

Foreign residents in Alanya face major challenges with the new regulation in the family doctor system by the Ministry of Health. Now, instead of applying to the family doctor closest to their home address, settled foreigners must go to the family health center in the old State Hospital building in central Alanya, which complicates their daily lives.

Fatma Özsüer, President of the Alanya Turkish-German Friendship Association (ATAD), stated that they have received numerous complaints about the new application. The association has reported these grievances to the Ministry of Health and requested a solution. It was emphasized that there are approximately 45,000 foreign nationals living in Alanya, most of whom are elderly and disabled.

The new regulation has reportedly caused serious physical inadequacies such as non-working elevators, transportation difficulties, and insufficient medical staff in the old State Hospital building. ATAD announced that this practice needs to be reviewed and that they will monitor the process to ensure foreigners have fair and accessible access to health services.