Istanbul's diabetes village resort to open soon


A giant village is being established in Istanbul's coastal town of Şile for diabetes patients, covering 18,000 square meters. Claimed to be the biggest diabetes center in Europe, it will open its doors in the autumn. Situated in Doğancılı village along the Şile coast, the center has been under construction since 2012. The village includes conference halls, restaurants, sport centers and accommodation units aside from a main section for treatment.

Intended to offer health service to 5,000 patients a year, the village will have a giant indoor pool along with a children's pool and outdoor courts for playing soccer, basketball, tennis and volleyball. The village will function as a lifestyle resort treatment center, where patients can continue treatment under the guidance of physicians while enjoying a holiday and joining entertainment activities. The coastal town attracts locals with its beaches and quiet atmosphere during the summer, and the village will offer a combination of health and tourism, an initiative to make the town more attractive to foreign tourists.

Around the world, more than 500 million people suffer from diabetes, although previous statistics may have been underestimated by as much as 25 percent, according to a new study released last week. The study's authors, who hail from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, believe serious gaps in global knowledge about diabetes caused the disparity. Scientists believe that surveys are particularly inaccurate of diabetes patients in developing countries and indigenous populations. The International Diabetes Federation estimated in 2015 that there were 415 million people worldwide suffering from the disease. An international team of scientists said that the actual figure could be as high as 520 million - roughly 7 percent of the global population. According to the Turkish Diabetes Foundation, 15 percent of Turkey's adult population suffers from diabetes, and among European countries, Turkey is seeing the fastest growth in diagnosis of diabetes.