Reconstruction of Turkey`s health sector in the process of economic development

ABSTRACT The availability and use of health services constitutes one of the main elements of basic human rights. A succesful health system requires that all the members of a society have access to basic health services. Given scarce resources the necessary condition to secure such a viable health system; is to use the resources allocated to this sector, efficiently. Moreover, starting from the second half of 20th century; the economical importance attached to health sector has increased due to an increase in expenditures on health and also to the gaining priority of human capital in development theory. These developments in turn have led to the rise of a new discipline called "health economics". In this thesis the health sector in Turkey is analysed from the view point of health economics. In chapter one the contents and basic characteristics of health sector are examined. The second chapter involves the analysis of the mutual interdependence between health sector and economic development. In the third chapter the organization of the health sector and the relevant policies pursued in Turkey are evaluated. In the fourth chapter an economic analysis of Turkey's health sector; is carried on by the aid of econometric methods. Finally, in the light of the above analysis, a general evaluation of Turkey's health sector is made and various proposals concerning the restructuring of this sector are suggested.