Bolstering Türkiye’s healthcare infrastructure

Türkiye hosts approximately three million refugees, making it one of the world’s leading refugee-hosting countries. Hosting this large number of people places a heavy burden on social services, including healthcare. The CEB is supporting the Ministry of Health of Türkiye in implementing an EU-funded project to improve health infrastructure in provinces with a high density of Syrian refugees across Türkiye.

The project, Strengthening Health Care Infrastructure for All (SHIFA), consists of the construction and rehabilitation of healthcare infrastructure and the provision of medical equipment and kits. Activities include the construction or renovation of over 80 health centres in 21 provinces across the country, including 10 where reconstruction efforts are ongoing following the 2023 earthquakes. And the project is delivering. Thanks to the close cooperation between the CEB, the Ministry of Health of Türkiye and the EU, 100 000 maternity kits are being distributed, the delivery of equipment is on-going and the first health centres are expected to be completed by end-2025.

The project has received an initial €90 million from the EU Facility for Refugees in Türkiye, a coordination mechanism set up by the EU and Türkiye in 2015 to address the needs of refugees and their host communities. In 2024, the EU contributed an additional €50 million to the project, which will finance additional health infrastructure in regions impacted by earthquakes. The additional contribution is part of the EU's response to the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and brings the total EU funding for this project to €140 million.

News:
New health centre in Istanbul inaugurated under SHIFA Project