When ex-finance minister Kemal Unakitan needed heart bypass surgery in February, he flew to the US for specialist treatment.

Meri Bahar, tasked with promoting Turkey as a centre for medical tourism, hopes the flow of patients will soon be in the other direction. As deputy general manager at Acibadem, the country’s only listed healthcare group, she argues forcefully that Turkish hospitals can match any for quality of care – at a fraction of US prices.