Türkiye Ranks Lowest in NATO for Health and Education Spending, Faces Deepening Public Service Crisis
Health Sector
Türkiye allocates the lowest share of GDP to health and education among NATO member states, according to recent comparative data. This chronic underinvestment is contributing to major problems in basic public services, including a shortage of specialist doctors, overcrowded classrooms, and even schools lacking basic hygiene infrastructure.
Stark Numbers: Türkiye Trails All NATO Countries in Public Investment
Visual Capitalist’s latest charts reveal that Türkiye spent just 3.7% of its GDP on healthcare and 2.6% on education during 2022–2023. These figures are well below the NATO average, where most member states spend 7–12% on healthcare and 4–6% on education.
To compare:
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Greece allocated 8.5% to health and 4.4% to education,
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Germany spent 11.8% on healthcare and 4.7% on education.
This funding gap illustrates the structural deficiencies behind Türkiye’s overstretched public systems.
Healthcare System Buckling Under Pressure
The effects of underfunding are visible in Türkiye’s strained healthcare sector, where brain drain, empty public sector positions, and long appointment wait times plague the system.
Patients at state hospitals often wait weeks or months for essential diagnostic tests like MRI, CT scans, and ultrasounds. In specialties such as radiology and pediatrics, the absence of qualified public sector doctors severely delays treatment and referral processes.
Education Faces Parallel Challenges
In education, overcrowded classrooms, insufficient staffing, and poor sanitary conditions are direct consequences of limited public investment. Schools across the country struggle to meet basic operational needs, while teachers face mounting workloads and inadequate resources.
A Public Service System in Crisis
Experts warn that Türkiye’s budget priorities are weakening human capital development and long-term social resilience. While defense spending remains high in line with NATO commitments, citizen-centric services are falling behind—raising concerns over equity, access, and sustainability.