2.2 Refugees’ access to health care in Turkey

tH e i m PAC ts o F C ovid - 19 on m igr A nt s A nd tH eir F A milies 65

BOX 2.2 Refugees’ access to health care in Turkey

Barriers to health care access have recently increased for refugees in Turkey. Until the end of 2019, migrants with temporary protection in Turkey had the same access to health care as Turkish citizens. Then in 2020, a new law required migrants with temporary protection or those seeking a residency permit to buy public or private health insurance, while undocumented immigrants were excluded entirely from this option. Though undocumented immigrants may receive emergency health care, they are required to pay for it in full before being released.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these barriers to accessing health services. Requirements to pay out of pocket often discouraged migrants from seeking care during this period (Özvarış et al. 2020). Additionally, whereas 87 percent of Syrian refugees in Turkey reported having access to health services before the pandemic, only 25 percent reported having access after the COVID-19 outbreak (figure B2.2.1).

These findings are consistent with evidence from other parts of the world. A survey of forcibly displaced persons in several countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa found that the pandemic-induced economic shocks limited respondents’ access to health care even further as it became more unaffordable (Tanner et al. 2021).a

Figure B2.2.1 Syrian refugees’ access to health care in Turkey, before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

a. Prepandemic b. Postpandemic

13%

25%

87% 75%

Access No access

Source: ri 2020. Note: Postpandemic figures were collected in may 2020. At that time, respondents (all from the syrian Arab republic) were also asked about their pre–Covid-19 situation. a. the survey was conducted in bangladesh, Chad, djibouti, iraq, kenya, Uganda, and the republic of Yemen.