RSV costs Türkiye’s healthcare system over 24 bln liras: Study
ISTANBUL

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a common cause of serious respiratory illnesses in infants, is placing a significant financial burden on Türkiye’s healthcare system, with a total cost exceeding 24.2 billion Turkish Liras ($624.7 million) per year, according to a new study.
“If this cost can be prevented and infants can be protected, these funds could be redirected to other critical health areas. Efficient resource allocation could support the treatment of other chronic diseases and overall improve system sustainability,” Professor Dr. Simten Malhan, a faculty member at Başkent University’s Department of Health Management, told the press at an event in Istanbul, organized to present the report.
Malhan underlined that the 24.2 billion lira burden reflects just one year.
This total direct healthcare cost for these cases represents 4.62 percent of Türkiye’s Social Security Institution (SGK) health expenditures in 2023.
According to the study, over 894,000 children aged 0–5, out of more than 5 million born between 2019 and 2023, are estimated to have contracted RSV. Among these, around 791,000 received outpatient treatment, 102,000 were hospitalized, nearly 12,000 required intensive care and 952 infants died due to RSV-related complications.
Elaborating on such figures, Malhan emphasized the broader social and economic impact of RSV, especially on working parents.
“During their child’s illness, parents often have to take leave from work, which pulls them out of the workforce temporarily. Due to such indirect effects, approximately 892,000 families bear an additional financial burden of around 2.5 billion liras per year.”
The report estimates that approximately 50 percent of breastfed children are infected with RSV within their first year, and around 95 percent by the age of two, particularly during the winter months.
Due to the virus’ ability to reinfect, it can lead to recurring illness and contribute to long-term respiratory problems such as asthma flare-ups and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).