Turkey

In Turkey, people living with diabetes (PwD) do not have to pay for any of their diabetes care out-of-pocket, except for the newest medicines and technologies.

All PwD are treated in secondary and tertiary care settings, where diabetes education is also provided. However, there is a need for better diabetes care at primary care level, with a shortage of nurses and diabetes dieticians.

E-health was very much on the agenda during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there remain many gaps in the legal and regulatory frameworks.

One unique feature in the Turkish diabetes landscape is the Diabetes Parliament. This initiative, initially driven by the Turkish Diabetes Foundation, gathers all diabetes stakeholders and decision-makers. Conventions, led by civil society, are held twice a year, and diabetes is considered a “political” priority.