Changes Occurring in Health Services Provided to Syrian Refugees Between 2017-2023 and the Current Situation after the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

Objective: The number of Syrian refugees increased day by day. In this study, the changes in health services provided to Syrian refugees in Türkiye between 2017 and 2023, and the current situation of refugees after the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes were investigated.
Material and Methods: In this retrospective, descriptive, observational epidemiological study, the changes occurring in the demographic structure and healthcare field over the above-mentioned years were examined based on the reports and statistics published by various national and international institutions and organisations.
Results: Among Syrian refugees in the world, 64.6% live in Türkiye. More than 6,600 Syrian refugees died in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake. It was observed that the number of refugee camps and the health services provided in these camps decreased until the Kahramanmaraş earthquake.
Conclusion: The settlement of Syrian refugees in Türkiye for more than 12 years has caused changes in various areas of life in Türkiye. It was observed that the number and quality of health services provided to Syrian refugees increased at a rate greater than the increase in the population of Syrian refugees between the years 2017-2023. Moreover, the natural disasters occurring in Türkiye have also affected the living conditions of refugees.

Keywords: Syrian refugees, Kahramanmaraş earthquake, health care systems, access to health services, displaced persons