Turkey: 1M+ health care professionals in 2018

ANKARA

The number of health care professionals in Turkey reached 1,016,401 last year, the country's ministry of health announced late on Monday.

The ministry said the total number of health staff across the country jumped 10.4% year-on-year in 2018, up from 920,939 in the previous year.

Official figures revealed that the total number of physicians -- including specialists, general practitioners and medical residents -- reached 153,128 as of 2018.

Dentists numbered over 30,000, while nurses and pharmacists totaled 190,499 and 32,032 last year, respectively.

The ministry also reported that the number of hospitals in Turkey reached 1,534 last year, of which 577 were private and 68 university hospitals.

In 2018, the total number of hospital beds reached 231,913 units -- an annual rise of 2.7%.

Last year, Turkey's population reached 82 million, while the bed occupancy rate was 66.9% across the country.