Türkiye has reduced waiting times for non-urgent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appointments in public hospitals to an average of seven days and computed tomography (CT) scans to four days, Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said Sunday during a TV interview, highlighting broader efforts to strengthen healthcare services and expand preventive care.
Memişoğlu said Türkiye's healthcare system has undergone significant transformation over the past 24 years, evolving into a destination that attracts nearly 3 million international patients annually.
He said the government's "Healthy Türkiye Century" vision is centered on its "Protective, Developing and Producing Health" model, which promotes preventive healthcare alongside the development of domestic medical technologies.
According to the minister, obesity, tobacco use and technology-related addictions, including excessive internet use, as well as physical inactivity, remain the 3 biggest public health risks facing the country.
"Our main healthcare policy is preventive healthcare. We want to manage these risks and build a healthier society by encouraging people to stay healthy before they become patients," he said.
