Turkey 2004. HiT summary

Infant and maternal mortality rates in Turkey are much higher than in any other country in Europe, while estimates of life expectancy are lower. These indicators also vary between different parts of the country, suggesting a degree of health inequality within Turkey. In 1999 infant mortality in Turkey was 40 deaths per 1000 live births, compared to an EU average of 4.9, a Central and Eastern European (CEE) average of 11.3 and an newly independent states (NIS) average of 17.8. The trend for maternal mortality is worse. WHO calculated a rate of 130 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in 1998, although other sources quote a higher rate of 180. This compares to a European average (of the countries in WHO’s European Region) of 20.3 and a Central Asian Republics (CAR) average of 42.6. Poor health status in Turkey – both in absolute and relative terms – is associated with an unequal distribution of income, rapid urbanisation and health care system failures.