Evaluation of health policies in Turkey’s development plans

Abstract

Five Years Development Plans, which are prepared by the Ministry of Development, which was previously named State Planning Organization (SPO), are the basic policy documents that include plans for Turkey’s economic, social and cultural development issues in the long term. Development plans ensure a unity in terms of goals both for government and for general society. Ten different special development plans for the years between 1963 and 2018 are prepared. The basic goal of all these different plans are the same: Enabling Turkish society has a happy and prosperous life. Quantitative goals that will enable development in upcoming periods in Turkey are determined in the frame of these plans. The concept of health, which is defined as physical, spiritual, social well-being, is one of the significant factors that should be taken into consideration while creating these development plans. Health policies are the precautions that are taken by governments in order to generalize and develop healthcare services for ensuring a spiritually and physically good life for society. Manpower can be efficient in development efforts only when physical and mental health is ensured. Health policy of a nation is firstly determined in development plans. Both governments and families spend a lot of time and money on health care services. The goal of this study is to present the preparations for upcoming periods in the field of health policies in development plans, to draw attention to present and potential financial problems, to develop ways to solve determined financial and humane problems and to make suggestions. Qualitative pattern document analysis technique is used in this research. At the end of the study, research finding, result and suggestions are presented.