Sexual Health is the absence of illnesses including sexually transmitted infections. Sexual Health also means good physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.
Reproductive Health is a state of complete well-being, including physical, mental and social well-being concerning the reproductive system in all stages of human life. In a holistic approach, the bond between sexual and reproductive health is significant.
For this reason, sexual and reproductive health must be considered together especially when it comes to the access to health services.
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) means that people can realize their sexual life without the risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies, coercion, violence and discrimination.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , sexual and reproductive health does not only refer to the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity related to the reproductive system and its functions, but it also refers to good physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.
SRH refers to the freedom of people to decide freely about their sexual lifestyles in a way that includes satisfaction, safety, absence of violence, people´s reproductive capacities and also people’s decisions about whether they want to have children or not.
Sexual and reproductive health is defined by international human rights protection mechanisms and is protected by a number of agreements which are related to basic human rights.
The rights, which are identified in this context, are called “sexual and reproductive health rights”.
Human rights are universal, without special status for anyone and without limitations. Human rights apply to everyone and they are protected by international agreements.
It is crucial to have awareness and knowledge about these rights. Furthermore, people need to know how, when and where (the correct mechanisms) to request access to the services.
Access to SRH services is often hindered by multiple factors:
There is not only a lack of knowledge and awareness about the access to SRH services, but also a persistent fear of social pressure (due to prejudices), exclusion by health personnel, or bullying.
This situation especially affects the following groups: young people, refugees, LGBTI people, sex workers, people living with HIV and people who use drugs.
In times of humanitarian crises, access to SRH services for the victims of such crises, be it for groups or for individuals, becomes more and more difficult.
Depending on substantial circumstances, sexually transmitted infections, or high-risk and unwanted pregnancies are increasing.
SRH Health Services
In Turkey, persons under international protection or temporary protection can benefit from the same health services than Turkish citizens thanks to the Turkish Social Security System. This means that the same conditions apply for Turkish citizens and for refugees and they pay the same fees.
Syrians can access to the same health services as Turkish citizens after their registration at the Provincial Directorate of Migration and after having received their ID cards that have to start with the number “99”.
Primary (First-Level) Health Care Institutions The following services regarding SHR can be obtained free of charge in (first-level) primary health care institutions:
- Outpatient basic medical examination, diagnosis and treatment services;
- Counseling, screening and providing diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV;
- Knowledge transfer and provision of contraceptives;
- Provision of condoms;
- Pregnancy planning, including methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies;
- Psychosocial support.
You can obtain the above-described services in the following primary (first-level) health care institutions:
- Family Health Centers (FHC) – located in almost every neighborhood.
- Community Health Centers (CHC) – located in provinces and districts.
- Migrant Health Centers (MHC) and Migrant Health Training Centers (IHTC) – these Centers were founded for the access of refugees to primary health care. Arabic – speaking staff is employed there. You can get up-to-date information about the Centers from the Ministry of Health and from the Provincial Health Directorate.
- Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) – these centers serve based on the community-based mental health model.
Secondary Health Care Institutions At secondary level, SRH health services are provided in state hospitals or private hospitals as well as in special diagnosis and treatment institutions. In these secondary health care institutions, you can find the following services:
- All kinds of diagnostic and treatment services for STIs;
- Comprehensive examination, diagnosis and treatment concerning gynecology, urology, infectious diseases and dermatology;
- Pregnancy planning, pregnancy follow-up, delivery services as well as safe abortion services.
Tertiary Health Care Institutions Tertiary Health Care Institutions include training and research hospitals of universities and other specialized clinics. You can find the following services in these tertiary health care institutions:
- Advanced research, diagnosis and treatment services;
- Initiation of the gender transitioning process (to initiate the gender transition process, you can apply to tertiary health care institutions such as clinics of medical faculties or other training and research hospitals of universities);
- Diagnosis, follow-up and treatment services for HIV infections and Viral Hepatitis.
Services at public health care institutions are free of charge for refugees who have registration numbers starting with “99”. These refugees can benefit free of charge from the laboratories, outpatient clinics and clinical services as outpatients or inpatients. However, even if you do not register at the Provincial Directorate of Immigration and even if you do not have an ID number starting with “99”, you can still benefit from the hospitals´ emergency services free of charge.
Ağrı – 0541 579 94 04
Ankara – 0312 428 30 11
Bilecik – 0228 212 11 64<
Eskişehir – 0222 234 64 42
İstanbul Elmadağ – 0212 254 17 76
İstanbul Esenler – 0212 562 50 62
Kütahya – 0274 2223 26 27
Van – 0432 216 05 34
Adana – 0322 226 01 11
Afyonkarahisar – 0272 214 49 13
Amasya – 0358 212 83 39
Aydın – 0256 518 73 51
Balıkesir – 0266 239 08 00
Bursa – 0224 222 32 21
Çanakkale – 0286 213 13 19
Denizli – 0258 261 67 66
Edirne – 0284 212 65 36
Erzurum – 0442 238 33 23
Gaziantep – 0342 220 01 77
Hatay – 0326 227 39 39
Isparta – 0246 202 20 12
İstanbul – 0212 251 67 44
İzmir – 0232 489 89 73
Kahramanmaraş – 0344 221 48 55
Kayseri – 0352 222 62 15
Kırşehir – 0386 212 37 07
Konya – 0332 353 06 53<
Malatya – 0422 321 44 74
Mersin – 0324 290 59 41
Muğla – 0252 214 02 04
Nevşehir – 0384 212 18 52
Niğde – 0388 233 25 12
Osmaniye – 0328 825 64 81
Sakarya – 0264 277 61 56
Samsun – 0362 4432 02 55
Şanlıurfa – 0414 312 12 00
Tokat – 0356 212 40 22
Van – 0432 215 66 60
At the Hacettepe University AIDS Treatment and Research Center in Ankara, you can get information and counseling about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. You can go directly to the Center.
Address: Hacettepe University Main Campus Internal Diseases Building Floor.1, Sıhhiye/ANKARA
Phone: 0312 322 12 71
Website: www.hatam.hacettepe.edu.tr
EGEHAUM is part of the Aegean University in Izmir. It conducts research and scientific studies on HIV and carries out support activities. For HIV related information, support and counseling, you can directly call EGEHAUM´s Support Line.
Address: Ege University Medical Faculty Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Main Discipline Outpatient Clinic Bornova/İZMİR
Support Line Phone Number: 0232 390 29 68
Center´s Phone: 0232 390 29 82
Website: www.egehaum.com
The Positive Living Association, located in Istanbul, provides support services, pre- and post-HIV diagnosis and treatment. You can contact the Positive Living Association to get information about HIV, to receive pre- and post-test counseling, to get free and anonymous tests or to receive post-diagnosis peer counseling, medical and psychosocial support as well as legal counseling.
Phone: 216 418 10 61
Website: www.pozitifyasam.ajans.dev
The Healthy Life Center of the Municipality of Besiktas in Istanbul is opened daily from 9:30 to 16:30(on weekdays). You can get tested for HIV free of charge and you can get further information and counseling. You can also get condoms free of charge.
At the Municipality of Şişli´s Health Clinic you can get anonymous HIV testing free of charge. The Clinic opens daily between 17:00 and 20:00 (on weekdays). The main outpatient clinic also provides infectious disease counseling and testing advices for LGBTI people
Address: Cumhuriyet Mah. Abide-i Hürriyet Cad. Mezarlık Çıkmazı Sok. No:2 Feriköy/Şişli, İSTANBUL
Phone: 0212 234 48 31 / 0212 232 18 43
http://en.sisli.bel.tr/icerik/saglik
The Municipality of Cankaya´s Public Health Care Center in Ankara provides anonymous HIV testing free of charge and offers further counseling services
Address: Mithatpaşa Cad. No:52 Kızılay/ANKARA
Phone: 0850 455 02 65 http://en.cankaya.bel.tr/Services/Health
Women’s Health Care Counseling Centers are the centers that provide services with the support of UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and ECHO (European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations) and with the help of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Family and Social Policies and various NGOs and universities. These Women´s Health Care Counseling Centers, being located in various provinces, provide services such as health counseling for women and girls or women´s sexual and reproductive health trainings. Furthermore, they follow up on cases of gender-based violence (GBV). LGBTI people, people living with HIV and sex workers can benefit from the services at these centers. The Centers are located in the following cities:
– Adana (Seyhan ve Yüreğir)
– Adıyaman
– Ankara (Ulubey, Yenimahalle, Altındağ, Mamak)
– Batman
– Bursa (Yıldırım, Osmangazi)
– Diyarbakır
– Eskişehir (Odunpazarı)
– Gaziantep (Şahinbey, Nizip)
– Hatay (Reyhanlı, Bayrampaşa, Tarlabaşı, Fındıkzade, Zeytinburnu)
– İzmir (Bornova, Konak)
– Kahramanmaraş
– Kocaeli
– Konya (Meram, Selçuklu)
– Mardin (Kızıltepe, Artuklu)
– Mersin
– Şanlıurfa (Harran, Yenice, Devteşti, Süleymaniye, Eyyübiye)
For additional information about the Centers, please click here.
Youth Centers provide services for refugee youth in cooperation with UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and the Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG). Youth Centers aim to socially integrate the refugee youth and to ensure the access to mechanisms such as sexual and reproductive health services or psychosocial support services in a youth-friendly way. Youth Centers are located the following provinces:
– Community Volunteers Foundation, Ankara Youth Center / ANKARA
– Community Volunteers Foundation, Diyarbakır Youth Center/DIYARBAKIR MERKEZ
– Community Volunteers Foundation, Hatay Youth Center/ HATAY ANTAKYA
– İzmir Bulut Öncü Youth Center / IZMIR KONAK
Within the scope of the Service Units, information, awareness-raising, counseling and referral services on SRH are provided for refugees, LGBTI people, sex workers, and people living with HIV. In the service units in Ankara, Mersin, Eskişehir and Istanbul, you can get information about SRH, participate at awareness-raising events, get condoms free of charge, receive information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and request transfer to relevant health units and follow-up support for diagnosis and treatment. In areas where the Service Units are not available, you can call the toll-free hotline under the number 0850 888 0539 to get information and reach field officers.