Survival Guide - Discover Turkey: Experience the Best of Turkey - page 742

Standards
The standard of Turkish healthcare varies. Although the best private hospitals in İstanbul
and Ankara offer world-class service, they are expensive. Elsewhere, even private hospit-
als don't always have high standards of care.
Hospitals & clinics Medicine, and even sterile dressings or intravenous fluids, may need
to be bought from a local pharmacy. Nursing care is often limited or rudimentary.
Dentists Standards vary and there is a risk of hepatitis B and HIV transmission via poorly
sterilised equipment, so watch the tools in use carefully.
Pharmacists For minor illnesses, such as diarrhoea, pharmacists can often provide advice
and sell over-the-counter medication, including drugs that would require a prescription in
your home country. They can also advise when more specialised help is needed.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
In addition to the ailments mentioned under Recommended Vaccinations, the rare skin
disorder leishmaniasis (spread by the bite of an infected sandfly or dog) is found in Tur-
key; as is leptospirosis (spread by the excreta of infected rodents), malaria (found in a few
areas near the Syrian border) and tuberculosis (spread through close respiratory contact
and, occasionally, infected milk or milk products). The risk of contracting these maladies
is extremely low.
Traveller's Diarrhoea
To prevent diarrhoea, stick to bottled water and avoid tap water unless it has been boiled (for 10 minutes), filtered or
chemically disinfected (with iodine or purification tablets). Eat fresh fruit or vegetables only if they're cooked or
you have peeled them yourself, and avoid dairy products that might contain unpasteurised milk. Buffet meals are
risky since food may not be kept hot enough; meals freshly cooked in front of you in a busy restaurant are more
likely to be safe.
If you develop diarrhoea, drink plenty of fluids, and preferably an oral rehydration solution containing salt and
sugar. In severe cases, take an antidiarrhoeal agent (such as loperamide) - or if that's not available, an antibiotic
(usually a quinolone drug) - and seek medical attention.