Treatment for people living with HIV is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. It is not possible to buy ART treatment on your own without a prescription. However, by contacting a doctor you can get prescriptions for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV then buy the prescribed drugs.
My location
Updated: 16/03/2025
My location
Updated: 16/03/2025
Updated
16/03/2025
Country overview
There are no restrictions for people living with HIV on entry and residence in Türkiye. Antiretroviral medicines can be brought for personal use with a letter from your doctor.
For the refugees there are specific rules, i.e. they could be asked for information about health and chronic diseases. But HIV is not a reason for refusal to stay and submit documents.
Labor migrants
In Turkey, refugees and asylum seekers must have been registered with the Provincial Directorates of Migration Management for at least six months before they can apply for a work permit. Once a work permit is approved, refugees and asylum seekers can then access HIV treatment from public hospitals through the SSI (Social Security Institution) insurance premium for the duration of the work permit. For details of the work permit see here.
Access to free of charge HIV treatment covered by the SSI after obtaining a work permit, is subject to the HIV diagnosis being received after the work permit is initiated. The timing of the person's HIV diagnosis may not be checked during the work permit application process; however, if it is discovered that the person's HIV status was positive before the work permit was obtained, a refund of the treatment fee may be requested.
People who come to study in Turkey as foreign students should apply for the general health insurance within 3 months after enrolling in school to access health treatment in Turkey covered by the SSI. Following the application, foreign students can access free HIV treatment within the scope of general health insurance. For HIV treatment to be covered free of charge by the SSI following the application for general health insurance, the HIV diagnosis must have been received after the general health insurance started. For this reason, it is recommended to take an HIV test in public hospitals after applying for general health insurance and start treatment in this way. Foreigners who come to Turkey by applying for a residence permit can access publicly provided HIV treatment by paying their own general health insurance premiums.
Refugees
In Turkey, access to treatment for refugees and asylum seekers living with HIV, varies according to their status. Persons who do not have any health insurance and do not have the ability to pay, at the date they are recognized by the Ministry of Interior Directorate General of Migration Management, as international protection applicants or status holders and stateless persons, are notified to the SSI within 1 month and registered as general health insured for 1 year. General health insurance premiums of these people are paid by the relevant institutions. At the end of one year, if people living with HIV submit a report to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management stating that they need treatment, their general health insurance is extended. For the details of international protection: www.goc.gov.tr/uluslararasi-koruma
People who are under temporary protection have free access to basic and emergency health services. Therefore, HIV treatment for persons under temporary protection is free of charge.
For the details of temporary protection: www.goc.gov.tr/gecici-koruma
Access to treatment
HIV medical services are integrated into regular clinics. To register and get ART for free, you must make an appointment at the nearest HIV clinic. The drugs are also provided at the same clinic. For a list with addresses and contacts, see "How to get to the HIV clinic". To access HIV treatment in the Turkish health system, HIV diagnosis must have been received in Turkey. After obtaining various residence or refugee statuses, treatment can be started by obtaining a diagnosis from infection clinics. After diagnosis, infection clinics follow up treatment every three months. Appropriate insurance is mandatory, to access the treatment provided by the state. If your SSI premium is not covered, treatment and medication will be provided for a fee. Free access to HIV treatment and medication requires a prescription from a doctor, along with the procedures we have outlined. You can also get ART from pharmacies for a fee. However, pharmacies may also require a doctor's prescription for paid medication.
The list of clinics
As Positive Living Association, we can only provide medication support for up to 3 months within the scope of the Key Refugee Groups project and there is no other organization that provides medication support other than us. While providing drug support, we examine the applications in detail within the scope of the principle of non-harm. For this reason, we can provide medicine support according to the content of the application.
NGOs
Service: peer counseling, social services counseling, psychosocial support, psychological counseling, legal counseling, emergency medical support, health counseling, pre- and post-HIV test counseling
Web site: www.pozitifyasam.org
E-mail:
[email protected]
Phone:
0850 888 0539
Instagram:
@refugeesupportpage
