Private Healthcare in North Cyprus

The private healthcare sector in North Cyprus is one which you should feel comfortable about if you are considering relocating to live here.  Should you ever need treatment for any number of ailments or illnesses, or require emergency treatment such as surgery, then there are excellent and well equipped facilities to deal with pretty much every eventuality.

Expatriates who reside in North Cyprus can of course take out their own health insurance, and this may be advisable.  Health insurance is available through many of the insurance companies and agents operating in North Cyprus which can offer a range of policies to suit your requirements, usually through the larger health insurance companies in Turkey.  It is also possible to obtain health insurance direct via large international companies such as BUPA for example.

Expatriates should take the time to weigh up the cost of health insurance versus one off payments for any medical issues which may require treatment and/or hospital stays.  Prices for treatments at private clinics in North Cyprus are still affordable for most, and are certainly cheaper than those in the UK and the majority of Europe.  However, the NHS in the UK for example is still an option for the first 12 months after you move to TRNC, and for those who keep a residential address in Britain, but waiting times may be prohibitive, and therefore treatment in North Cyprus perhaps becomes a more sensible option.

Private clinics are usually located in the major cities and towns, with Lefkoşa, Famagusta and Kyrenia being home to the majority of private clinics and hospitals.

There are plenty of them too, and with many specialists in various fields of healthcare, it’s an impressive sector.  The island is also gaining a good reputation abroad for such specialist areas as fertility treatment, eye laser surgery and cosmetic surgery as well as dentistry.

Sometimes facilities at private hospitals and clinics are also used by private practioners.  For example, you may find yourself visiting an independent eye clinic, and if further treatment is required – for instance laser surgery – you may attend one of the private hospitals which your eye doctor rents for his surgery requirements.  This saves him the cost of importing all the necessary equipment which the private hospital may already have, and all he needs to do is pay them a fee for its usage.

Some private hospitals are able to offer expatriates a membership system, whereby you have the option of choosing from certain levels of yearly membership, which then entitles patients to a reduced rate on treatments and surgeries.  One such hospital is the Cyprus Life Hospital in Lefkoşa which runs a membership scheme through the British Residents Society.  If you’re a member of the BRS the you’re entitled to join the hospital’s scheme.

Another hospital offering a similar independent membership scheme, with the added bonus of regular free check ups, is the Kyrenia Medical Centre at the Kamiloğlu Hospital in Kyrenia.  Prices too are really quite impressive at the time of writing, beginning at around £100 for an annual membership.  Affordable even if you are fortunate enough not to require medical treatment throughout the whole year!

There are plenty of other hospitals offering the same service around the island, so it’s worth looking around the area you have relocated to, to see what options are open to you.  Of great benefit, most offer a 24 hour emergency service for members, and have a private ambulance to transfer patients should it be required at any time of day or night.

You should also be impressed with the facilities and modern technology used in North Cyprus, as despite the embargoes placed upon it, it seems to do very well in obtaining state of the art equipment and all the mod cons for healthcare!  Private hospitals and clinics all have very comfortable rooms, most having shower rooms, TV and even mini bars (non-alcoholic of course!), and they all have plenty of room for visiting relatives and friends.  Rooms are also kept extremely well cleaned by a seemingly endless stream of hospital operatives.

All of the hospitals and clinics we have come across are able to deal with a long list of medical areas and ailments, in fact too many to mention all of them here!  However, you will find most that deal with surgical situations have radiology departments, intensive care units and outpatient clinics, but can also deal with other areas such as dermatology, dietary and physiotherapy for example.  All in all it is very comforting to know and considering that most of the surgeons and doctors within private practices have trained in Turkey and Europe you should be totally at ease with the quality and standards of care in North Cyprus.

There are lots of other healthcare options available too, with alternative medicine starting to make inroads on the island, and the ease with which you can buy prescription medication over the counter at pharmacies, making the choices for healthcare more appealing and certainly less concerning for people looking at relocating to North Cyprus.