Turkish Health Ministry to make everyone receive medical checkups

The Turkish Health Ministry is planning to make every citizen receive checkups by setting up "healthy living centers" slated to accommodate 50,000 people each. 

Health Ministry Undersecretary Eyüp Gümüş said chronic diseases would also be tracked if detected in checkups. 

"We are going to make our citizens develop a tradition that will make them lead healthy lives. Checkups will be carried out and chronic diseases will be tracked this way," Gümüş told daily Habertürk on Nov. 22, adding that patients would be able to conduct necessary examinations in these health centers. 

"Information on physical exercises will also be given. We are planning to construct 1,000 health centers primarily and are in search of locations for them," he said. 

The ministry will review its family practice system and ensure it is done quantitatively and qualitatively, Gümüş added. 

"We will reallocate and lower the number of people appointed per family doctor," he also said. 

Gümüş said the ministry was planning to increase the capacity of emergency services and ensure they work in coordination with each other. 

"We are working on a system in which public universities and private hospitals work together. We are going to evaluate all steps by using one software, starting from receiving the case until the end of the treatment. We are planning to restructure emergency services. We will reorganize the yellow, green and red zones. We are aiming to decrease the intensity by reactivating night polyclinics and integrate the family practice system into this practice," he said. 

Gümüş also said the ministry aimed to circulate capital efficiently. 

"We are introducing a performance system; it will be based on the diagnoses...