Advancements in the health sector, the expertise of Turkish doctors and reasonable prices have led Turkey to become a prime destination for obesity patients looking for surgical treatment, a leading doctor in the field said.

Surgeon Dr. Halil Coşkun told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the number of patients from abroad is increasing steadily, Turkish hospitals have adopted the latest technological advancements in the field while keeping the prices affordable.

"The number of foreign patients has risen considerably in recent years," Coşkun explained.

"There are patients coming from Europe, as the price of surgery in our country is much more attractive than in Europe. Although I can't give official figures, some 50% of our patients are foreigners," he added.

Coşkun said closed and even robotic operations are performed in Turkey.

He said the most common types of surgeries performed are sleeve gastrectomy, or the removal of part or all of the stomach; duodenal switch, which also removes most of the stomach and duodenum; and gastric bypass surgery, which changes how your stomach and small intestine handle food.

Coşkun said surgeries have long been performed in Turkey to prevent or treat obesity. "We evaluate the patient's weight and disease and find the right operation for them," he said.

Turkey has been seeing an increasing number of health tourists coming to seek treatment for various conditions. According to TurkStat data, more than 550,000 tourists visited Turkey in 2018 for medical reasons.