Health & Trouble Shooting in Istanbul

If you are on holiday usually you don't want to think about being ill or having a traffic accident. Nevertheless we all know that these things happen. Therefore some hints about emergency cases and health in Istanbul.

Istanbul has good medical facilities and plenty of excellent doctors, many of whom are trained abroad. It is easier to get reliable help then you might expect. State hospitals are better equipped and cheaper than private hospitals, but very often they do not reach the standards Europeans and Americans are used to (you will see that it is quite common to have some family members around you for nursing!).

Private hospitals are generally less crowded and give better service. If an emergency arises, have some cash or a credit card ready as hospitals expect you to pay immediately for their services. But don't hesitate to claim their service usually you will get the money back from your insurance (as long as you have one!) and it is not as expensive as in Europe or the States.

If you are once sick insist on meeting a doctor or go to the hospital immediatly. People around you, even in the hotel, might trying to persuade you to take any medicine they heard of for not wasting any money!

People in Turkey go very often to a Pharmacy, buy something and try to save the money for a real doctor. Pharmacists in Turkey are not qualified to provide medical services. For example, taking blood pressure, giving injections, cleaning, and bandaging minor injuries, or suggesting medication for common ailments. To make the diagnosis and advise the treatment is only allowed for registered medical doctor. Nearly all drugs can be bought without a prescription. Too often Pharmacists don't hesitate to sell heavy antibiotics with lots of side-effects without a careful diagnosis! The turkish word for pharmacy is "ECZANE".

Here the names and addresses of some - in my opinion - better hospitals - of course there can't be any guarantee / warranty for the quality from my side: