Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers in Turkey

How does public addiction treatment work in Turkey?

Public addiction treatment in Turkey is covered by SGK general health insurance, and the Ministry of Health states that adults over 18 with a substance addiction can be treated free of charge whatever their record of premium payments or any premium debt. Centers take people by appointment or when they apply in person.

Appointments can be made through Alo 191 or through Alo 182, the central hospital appointment system known as MHRS. The Ministry’s own specialist alcohol and substance treatment units, known as AMATEM, work as an open service, so admission there is voluntary.

Who pays for public rehab in Turkey?

SGK general health insurance pays for public rehab in Turkey, and adults over 18 with a substance addiction are treated free whether or not their premiums are up to date, according to the Ministry of Health. Questions about cover itself go to ALO 170, the Social Security Institution’s own information line.

Publicly funded treatment is listed at most of the rehabs in Turkey, and state health insurance is accepted at most of them as well. Some also list foundation funding, where a charitable foundation meets part or all of the cost.

Can I go straight to an addiction center in Turkey?

Yes. Addiction centers in Turkey accept people by appointment or by direct personal application, so a referral letter is not required before the first visit. The Ministry of Health lists two booking routes: Alo 191, its drug counseling line, and Alo 182, the national hospital appointment system that covers public hospitals.

Family members can call Alo 191 too, which helps when the person concerned is not ready to make the call. A few rehabs in Turkey also offer walk-in assessment without a set appointment.

How are addiction centers licensed in Turkey?

Addiction centers in Turkey are licensed under the Regulation on Addiction Counseling, Detoxification and Rehabilitation Centers. According to that text, the Ministry of Health first grants a preliminary permit, and the provincial health directorate then issues a license or operating permit for one named type of service after an inspection of the premises.

Centers that treat people arriving from abroad also need a separate health tourism authorization certificate from the Ministry, according to the same regulatory framework. Treatment records are covered by Law No. 6698 on the Protection of Personal Data, which treats health data as a special category of personal data.

How can I find a licensed treatment center in Turkey?

Turkey has no public license search for addiction services, but the Ministry of Health’s Alo 191 website keeps a directory of treatment centers arranged by province. Someone looking for help in a particular city can open that province’s entry and then book through Alo 191 or the Alo 182 appointment system.

For a private clinic, asking which service type its license names, and whether it holds the health tourism certificate when treating people from abroad, gives a clear basis for comparison.

What does private rehab in Turkey cost?

Private residential rehab in Turkey has an estimated typical range of €5,900 to €16,600 a month, with medical detox at €3,600 to €11,200 a month. Outpatient care costs least, at an estimated €700 to €2,400 a month, and room type and length of stay shape where a stay lands within each range.

Self-pay is listed at some of the rehabs in Turkey. A clinic can set out in writing what a stay includes, such as medical checks, therapy sessions and aftercare.

Monthly cost by level of care in Turkey

Each level of care listed in Turkey has its own estimated monthly range, from about €700 for outpatient sessions up to €16,600 for a private residential stay. Medical detox sits between the two, and the table below sets out the three levels of care that rehabs in Turkey list, month by month.

Residential programs are listed at a few of the rehabs in Turkey, so most longer stays take place in inpatient hospital units rather than in standalone residential houses.

Do Turkish rehabs take private insurance?

A few rehabs in Turkey list private insurance, while state health insurance is accepted at most of them. Whether a private Turkish policy pays for addiction treatment depends on its own wording, so anyone relying on one can ask the insurer in writing before admission to a private clinic in Turkey.

People insured outside Turkey rely on the terms of their own policy, and a clinic can say in advance whether it bills an insurer directly or expects payment first.

Which substances do rehabs in Turkey treat?

Alcohol is the substance treated at most of the rehabs in Turkey, and opioid addiction, including heroin and prescription painkillers, is listed at about half. Nicotine and tobacco support appears at some, while cocaine and benzodiazepines are each listed at a few Turkish rehabs.

Mental health treatment is listed at nearly all of the rehabs in Turkey, and psychiatric medication management at about half. Care for a mental health condition alongside addiction appears at a few.

Is medication for opioid dependence available in Turkey?

Buprenorphine-naloxone is prescribed in Turkey to people with opioid dependence who agree to treatment, according to the Ministry of Health, and it is issued on a red prescription, the form used for controlled medicines. Treatment is given through centers licensed by the Ministry rather than by any doctor.

Medication-assisted treatment and opioid tapering are each listed at a few of the rehabs in Turkey.

Coming to Turkey for treatment from abroad

Treatment in Turkey for someone arriving from abroad starts with the right visa, since Turkey’s e-Visa is valid only for tourism or commerce. A stay for any other purpose needs a visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate, and a medical visa is applied for at the nearest one.

Rehab is also listed in neighboring Greece and Cyprus, and in Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.

What visa does rehab in Turkey need?

Rehab in Turkey needs a visa issued by a Turkish embassy or consulate, because the e-Visa is limited to tourism and commerce. Some nationalities are exempt from visas for stays of up to 90 days in any 180 days, and a medical visa is requested at the nearest Turkish mission.

Prescribed medicines need paperwork too. According to Turkey’s submission to the International Narcotics Control Board, travelers need a valid prescription, a doctor’s certificate stamped by the health authorities of their home country and a certificate from Turkish health authorities, with only enough medicine for the stay. Methadone is limited to 15 days.

An adult can be placed in a suitable facility against their will only under Article 432 of the Turkish Civil Code, when addiction endangers others and no other protection works, on petition to a Civil Peace Court.

Which numbers should I know before rehab in Turkey?

Alo 191, reached by dialing 191, is the number to know first for rehab in Turkey: the Ministry of Health’s drug counseling and support line works 24 hours a day and refers callers and families to treatment centers. Alo 182 books public hospital appointments, and ALO 170 answers questions about SGK cover.

For a question about bringing a controlled medicine into the country, the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK), the national medicines regulator, takes calls on +90 312 218 3316.

Rehab listings elsewhere are on the Europe page, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and Portugal.