In line with the provisions of the “Readmission Agreement” signed between the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye on 15 October 2015, the Ministry of Health developed the Project for the Improvement of the Health Status of Syrians under Temporary Protection and Related Services Provided by the Republic of Türkiye (SIHHAT-1). The project was approved by the European Union and allocated a budget of €300 million. Initially designed for a 36-month implementation period, the project was later extended to 50 months through addenda, with all activities concluded on 31 January 2021.
The SIHHAT Project (“Improvement of the Health Status of Syrians under Temporary Protection and Related Services Provided by the Republic of Türkiye”), funded by the European Union and implemented by the Turkish Ministry of Health, has enabled Syrians living under Temporary Protection in Türkiye to benefit from primary and secondary healthcare services by offering solutions tailored to their health needs in their own languages.
As part of this effort, the scope of healthcare services was broadened, and the capacity and quality of service delivery were strengthened in 29 provinces with high concentrations of Syrian populations, thereby making healthcare more accessible for Syrians under Temporary Protection.
ESTABLISHMENT OF MIGRANT HEALTH CENTRES
The establishment and support of Migrant Health Centres (MHC) initiative aims to deliver primary healthcare services in the native languages of Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP). Primary healthcare services include immunization and the control of infectious diseases and epidemics, tuberculosis control, environmental health initiatives, women’s and reproductive health services and child and adolescent healthcare.
Within the scope of this activity:
• As of September 2020, 792 Migrant Health Units (MHUs) were established and supported within 177 Migrant Health Centres (MHCs) across 29 provinces with high concentrations of Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP).
• The 29 target provinces where Migrant Health Centres have been established/supported cover 96.20% of the Syrian population living under Temporary Protection in Türkiye.
• Forty-eight of the established/supported MHCs are Extended Migrant Health Centres. These centres provide specialist medical staff in the fields of internal medicine, gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics, oral and dental health services, psychosocial support services, laboratory and X-ray services.
• Within the scope of the project, psychologists and social workers employed in the established/supported MHCs provide psychosocial support, counselling, and various training programmes.
• As of September 2020, 8,211 sessions/services have been provided to 6,248 Syrians.
• As of December 2020, a total of 3,422 personnel have been employed within the scope of the project. Of these, 125 are Specialist Physicians, 606 are General Practitioners, 5 are Dentists, 995 are Midwives/Nurses, 76 are X-ray and Laboratory Technicians, 41 Psychologists, 37 Social Workers, 4 Interpreters, 1,128 Patient Referral Staff, and 405 Support Staff.
• 719 of the Patient Referral Staff work in secondary healthcare facilities in 65 provinces.
• As of September 2020, approximately 8.8 million laboratory tests have been performed for Syrians under Temporary Protection who applied to MHCs.
• Between 2017 and 2020, Syrians under Temporary Protection received approximately 13.5 million primary healthcare services through the supported E-Migrant Health Centres (E-MHCs).
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTRES
Community Mental Health Centres (CMHCs) aim to deliver mental health services to Syrians under temporary protection who have chronic mental health conditions, as well as to members of the host community. These centres offer medical treatment for individuals with long-term psychiatric disorders and organize recreational and leisure activities to help them occupy their time.
Within the scope of this activity:
• 10 Community Mental Health Centres have been established/supported in the provinces of Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Adana, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Gaziantep, and Kilis. There are two CMHCs in Istanbul, one on the European side and the other on the Anatolian side.
• Patient Referral and Support Staff who speak Arabic and Turkish are employed at these centres.
• By September 2020, an average of 2,000 Turkish and Syrian individuals applied to the CMHCs under the SIHHAT program each month, and approximately 42,000 mental health services were provided to these individuals.
• Furniture, sports equipment, medical equipment, IT equipment, and consumables are being procured for the centres.
MICRONUTRIENT SUPPORT SERVICES
The purpose of the Micronutrient Support Services activity is to reduce micronutrient deficiencies among Syrians under temporary protection and to promote their healthy nutrition. Additionally, it seeks to provide mothers with the necessary nutritional supplements throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Within the scope of this activity:
• 2.6 million boxes of vitamin D and 2.4 million boxes of iron supplements were supplied.
• By the end of 2019, 2.1 million boxes of vitamin D supplements were provided to Syrian infants/children and women.
• 2 million boxes of iron supplements were provided to Syrian infants/children and women by the end of 2019.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES
The aim of the reproductive health services activity is to ensure that Syrians under temporary protection have access to reproductive health services.
Within the scope of this activity:
• Approximately 2 million oral contraceptives and approximately 20 million condoms were supplied.
• By the end of 2019, a total of 1.4 million oral contraceptives were provided to Syrian women under Temporary Protection.
• Approximately 750,000 Syrian women received 2.6 million prenatal care services.
IMMUNIZATION SERVICES
The Immunization Services activity aims to protect Syrian women and children under Temporary Protection from diseases that can be prevented through vaccination, thereby reducing related illnesses and mortality rates.
Within the scope of this activity:
• A total of 5.5 million doses of vaccine were supplied.
• 6.25 million syringes, vaccine cabinets, vaccine storage units, vaccine transport vehicles, and refrigeration units were supplied.
• By the end of June 2020, 4.2 million doses of vaccine had been administered to Syrian infants/children (0-59 months).
MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES
The Mobile Health Services activity aims to improve access to primary health care and cancer screening services for Syrians under Temporary Protection who live in rural areas, frequently relocate for reasons such as seasonal work, or face challenges accessing health services due to factors like old age or disability. The cancer screening component seeks to reduce cancer-related illness and mortality among the Syrian population and alleviate the economic burden associated with the disease.
Within the scope of this activity:
• 102 Mobile Health Vehicles have been purchased.
• Cancer screening services are being provided using 5 mobile cancer screening vehicles.
• As of November 2020, a total of 420,000 cancer screening services have been provided to Syrians under temporary protection.
MEDICAL DEVICE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC HOSPITALS
The objective of the Medical Device Support for Public Hospitals activity is to alleviate the burden on public hospitals in provinces with a high concentration of Syrians under Temporary Protection. The activity aims to support the intensive care units and medical equipment needs of public hospitals.
Within the scope of this activity:
• 3,966 medical devices/equipment and 163 surgical microscopes were purchased for 113 public hospitals.
TRAINING OF HEALTH PERSONNEL
The Training of Health Personnel activity aims to enhance the capacity of Turkish health professionals who serve Syrians under Temporary Protection, as well as patient referral staff working within the scope of the Project in areas such as migration health, intercultural communication, and national and international migration legislation.
Within the scope of this activity (until November 2019):
• Two orientation training sessions were organized for 50 TRSM personnel.
• Seven training sessions were provided to 966 patient referral personnel who speak Arabic and Turkish.
• Twenty-two training sessions were provided to 2,520 health personnel.
SUPPORTING EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES
The objective of the Supporting Emergency Health Services activity is to alleviate the burden on emergency health services created by the needs of Syrians under Temporary Protection and to improve their access to these services.
Within the scope of this activity:
• A total of 430 ambulances, including 50 newly procured vehicles, have been provided.
INCREASING HEALTH LITERACY AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
The purpose of the Increasing Health Literacy and Visibility Activities is to enhance the demand for health services among Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP) and to empower them to monitor their own health status and manage their healthcare needs appropriately. In addition, the activity seeks to inform the broader public about Syrians’ access to health services and to promote the overall objectives of the project.
Within the scope of this activity:
• 500,000 posters on 16 different topics and 20,000,000 brochures on 38 different topics were printed and distributed to health centres.