Enis Baris and colleagues observe that a political commitment to universal health coverage together with a significant investment in health has seen Turkey’s health indicators catch up and surpass other middle income countries

Less than a decade ago, the health system in Turkey was considered a laggard, not only relative to the rest of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) but to other high middle income countries. A major discrepancy existed between constitutional aspirations of equitable access to healthcare for all citizens and the reality on the ground. Health mattered, yet was seldom addressed on the political agenda. Today, the health system in Turkey is transformed, not quite to the point of favourable comparison with the rest of the OECD and most of the European Union, but fast closing the gap in health outcomes, responsiveness, and fair financing. We describe the Health Transformation Programme (HTP) launched in 2003, analyse the reasons behind its achievements, and share the lessons learnt