130 million examinations were carried out in Istanbul this year

Istanbul Provincial Health Director Assoc. Dr. Abdullah Emre Güner stated that 130 million examinations were performed in the first 6 months of 2026 and 88 percent of them were performed by public hospitals. Assoc.

Dr. Abdullah Emre Güner said that the health transformation process, which has been implemented since 2002 under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has brought health services in Türkiye to a different point. Stating that Istanbul offers health services to patients from all over the world, Güner said that foreign patients prefer Istanbul in many branches such as general surgery, orthopedics and oncology, as well as aesthetic and plastic surgery. Güner, Minister of Health in Türkiye, Prof. Dr. He emphasized that they provide services in line with the "Protecting, Producing and Developing Health Model" put forward by Kemal Memişoğlu and that they give priority to preventive health services.

Stating that they aim to ensure that citizens benefit from preventive health services through family physicians and Healthy Life Centers before they lose their health, Güner stated that in case of illness, they provide rapid health services through a strong 112 infrastructure and hospitals. Güner pointed out the importance of effective use of primary health care services and stated that they have created a strong health system starting from family physicians to training and research hospitals, city hospitals and university hospitals. Assoc.

Dr. Güner stated that everyone in Türkiye has access to the highest level of health care free of charge, and noted that this continues to improve every year. Giving information that approximately 210 million examinations were performed in Istanbul last year, Güner said, "We have performed 130 million examinations in the first 6 months of 2026. 88 percent of 130 million examinations were carried out by public hospitals. This is actually a manifestation of our strong health model.

However, we need to use primary care more actively so that our citizens can reach the right doctor at the right time, he said. Güner explained that citizens in Istanbul can reach the family health center within an average of 7 minutes' walking distance, and stated that the number of family health centers in the city has reached 1120 and that they aim to increase this number to 1200 by the end of the year. Stating that the average population served by a family physician has decreased from 4 thousand to 2 thousand 900, Güner noted that their goal is to reduce this number below 2 thousand 500. Güner stated that Healthy Life Centers also play an important role in preventive health services, and psychologists, family counselors, child development specialists and various health professionals work in these centers.

Stating that most of the surgeries postponed during the pandemic period have been completed, Güner said that the waiting times for surgery have decreased significantly thanks to the coordination between state hospitals and city hospitals. Reminding that 2 million 700 thousand surgeries were performed in Istanbul in 2025, Güner said, "We have performed 1 million 630 thousand surgeries in the first 6 months of 2026. These are very high numbers. Most of these are ABC group surgeries.

We perform surgery every 2 seconds in Istanbul. "In other words, even when we are breathing, an operation may be taking place, he said. Stating that 127 thousand public health personnel provide services in Istanbul, Güner stated that they work without compromising the quality of health services.

Güner stated that patients from many countries of the world as well as from Turkey come to Istanbul for treatment, which shows the success of health services. Stating that they are working at high capacity in radiological imaging services, Güner stated that approximately 21 million imaging services were performed in the first 6 months of the year. Assoc. Dr. Güner said that they will continue to provide services with a strong health system in every field that citizens need, and added, "No matter what our citizens need, no matter what health problem they have, we will continue to respond to them with our strong health system, and provide service 24/7, without the concept of overtime, without listening to holidays.