Turkey's health care expenditures posted an annual increase of 17.5% to reach TL 165.2 billion in 2018, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) revealed Tuesday.

"The proportion of current health expenditure to total health expenditure was 93.1% for 2017 and 93.8% for 2018," the TurkStat said.

It added the ratio of government health expenditure-to-total health expenditure was 77.5% in 2018, down from 78% in 2017.

The proportion of total health expenditure to GDP was 4.4% last year while the ratio of general government health expenditure to GDP was calculated as 3.4% in the same period.

The report added that the number of hospitals in Turkey surged by 11,065 year-on-year, reaching 80,701 last year. Of them, 65,373 were public hospitals while 15,328 were private sector hospitals.

The institute said out of pocket health expenditures made by households for treatment, pharmaceuticals, et cetera. reached to TL 28.7 billion with an increase of 19.4% in 2018.

The proportion of household out of pocket health expenditure to total health expenditure was 17.3% last year.

"Health spending per capita was TL 1,751 in 2017 and reached TL 2,030 with an increase of 15.9% in 2018," it said.

Health expenditure statistics were presented according to financing agents and service providers.