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The healthcare in Algeria before the arrival of the French was basic or non-existing. Families and the community cared for the sick and the elderly. The doctors and nurses that were in the country were from foreign countries that volunteered or were employed by not-for-profit organizations. During the French colonial period, which lasted over 130 years, there were some improvements. The French brought the socialist idea that the health of the population was the responsibility of the government. When Algeria gained its independence from France in 1962, the country acquired an inadequate and neglected healthcare system that was distributed only in the Northern regions and specifically in the major cities (Algiers, Oran, Constantine).
Between the1960's and 1970's Algeria's healthcare system made significant progress in the care of its population. After gaining its independence the government started extending the public welfare programs (CNAS) that were first introduced by France, which consisted of a limited social welfare system of family allowances for the employed. In the mid 70's Algeria built on this system and extended it by implementing a National Social Security Insurance (CASNOS, Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale des Non-Salariés) that would cover all urban and some agriculture employees. A new program was added to the existing Social Security structure that would extend benefits to employees in every working sector. The new and improved scheme provided illness and disability health insurance, retirement pensions, and financial support that would be financed by contributions from the government, employees, and employers.
From the start Algeria had to work with a substandard healthcare system that had a total of 300 doctors (one doctor per 33,000 people) within the whole country and only one trained paramedic per 40,000 Algerians. The Algerian government set out to improve the infrastructure of the healthcare system in order to raise the standards of health. Hospitalization, prescriptions and out-patient care now became almost free to the population (over 80% of the consultations and prescription drugs were reimbursed). Medical training became a strong priority for the Algerian government. By the 1980's the University of Algiers, the Algiers University of Science and Technology, the University of Constantine, and the University of Oran had schools of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacology (medical training was also available at the university center at Sétif). The government also maintained public paramedical schools in Algiers, Constantine, and Oran that recruited from the secondary schools. Medical schools started to graduate a large number of physicians, over 1,000 annually in the 1980's and even more later on. There was a strong focus from the government to train women to become nurses, technicians or midwives.
During the mid 1980's, due to the growing population growth, a new direction to the national healthcare system was implemented which focused on preventative care. Instead of focusing on big hospitals that generally focused on treating the ill, the government started to increase its resources on building more medical facilities and clinics that dealt with preventing rather than curing illnesses, and diseases.
The Algerian healthcare system has been dominated by the public sector where over 80% of the doctors are employed. The public sector consists of: hospitals, urban and rural maternity facilities, medical clinics, pharmacies, and medical teaching universities. The private sector has been generally small and limited to only the major cities (Northern region of the country) but within the decade this sector has seen increases of up to 100%. Funding to the healthcare system comes from: Social Security (60%), State budget (20%), and households (20%).
In the 1990's Algeria healthcare system consisted of over 23,550 doctors (one physician per 1,200 people), one nurse for 330 people, 2,134 pharmacists, and 7,199 dentists. There were 2,720 basic health units, 1,650 health centers, 13 university hospitals, 178 general hospitals, and 18 specialized hospitals. Overall, there was one hospital bed for every 380 people. Close to 90 percent of the population had access to medical care (Access to healthcare was improved by a requirement that doctors and dentists will have to work in public health sector for at least five years) and only in the rural areas did people have difficulty in reaching medical treatment.
The total expenditure on healthcare has grown to 4.3% of the county's GDP. There were more medical facilities added throughout the country, especially in the remote, hard to reach regions in the Southern part of the country. The government has made progress towards its goal of improving the access to clean drinking water and providing basic sanitation (87% have access to clean water and 92% have sanitation). Investments in the basic infrastructure of the healthcare system have improved the health of the populace greatly. The prevalence of most of the communicable diseases such as: Tuberculosis, Trachoma, and Diphtheria have fallen throughout the country. The average life expectancy rose from 45.7 years in the 1960's up to 74.2 years in 2009. The implementation of immunization programs for children has covered over 83% of one year olds for: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, and Measles. The Infant mortality rate was lowered from 170 deaths per 1,000 live births during the 1960's down to 28 deaths per 1,000 in 2009. The government has increased public awareness of birth control and as of 2000 an estimated 51% of women (ages 15 to 49) were using some form of contraceptive. The total fertility rate decreased to 3.2 in 2000 from 5.0 in 1987. The HIV prevalence among adults in 2009 was lowered to 0.1% (43,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in Algeria in 2007).
Even though the healthcare in Algeria has made great progress since becoming an independent country, its healthcare system still does not compare well with the developed world and most medical facilities are not up to Westernized standards. In every health category the country has improved but this does not mean it is adequate. While the healthcare system is better and more of the population is in better health today compared to 20 or 40 years ago, there remain many areas that are in need of improvement.
Access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation still needs improvements, especially in the rural areas of the country where only 80% has sanitation and less have access to safe water. Poor sanitation and unclean water are still causing Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, Typhoid Fever, Cholera, and Dysentery. Most of the public medical facilities and almost all the private medical clinics have remained concentrated in the North of the country. Most of these medical facilities are located in the major cities which will require the ill in the rural regions to travel long distances in order to seek appropriate medical treatment for more serious problems. Most of the inhabitants that are living in the rural areas are in the South and they are forced to travel over the Atlas Mountains in order to reach medical facilities in the North along the Mediterranean coast. Also the rural medical facilities are inadequately maintained, under staffed, lacking the basic medical supplies and top notch medical equipment.
Algeria has spent only 4.3% of the total GDP (equal to Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and Kyrgyzstan) which is relatively low compared to other countries with a similar income level. Countries within the region of Algeria which are considered "middle income" spends 6% of there total GDP while countries that are considered "lower middle income" are spending an average of 5.8%. The inadequate funding to the healthcare system has caused many health professionals in the public sector to go on strike. In December of 2008, many healthcare workers walked off their jobs because of underpay compared to the private sector. They are requesting a 300% pay raise and other benefits from the government.
The Social Security system has been reimbursing medical treatments based on unrevised rates dating back to 1987. This has caused an increase in out-of-pocket expenditures for individuals and many have been choosing to go to an expensive private medical facility in order to get better treatment for the additional expenses.
While traveling overseas it is important that you know where to go for quality medical treatment .We can offer you a variety of individualized Algeria expat health insurance plans to you and your family. Algeria may not be able to provide you with the quality of treatment that many foreigners have come to expect. Emergency medical treatment in Algeria is not readily available outside the main urban centers, and you may have to be taken to a major city for serious medical treatment. Treatment in private clinics and hospitals are highly recommended for adequate medical treatment but will be quite expensive. Globalsurance will be able to cater to your specific and individual needs as we can offer you all the benefits that experienced travelers have come to request. These benefits may include coverage for; in-patient and out-patient treatment, specialist consultations, dental care, maternity, alternative therapies, complimentary medicine, and emergency evacuation.
If you are looking for an insurance plan to protect you and your whole family, your mind can rest easier knowing that we are an insurance broker working with many of the world’s leading insurance companies, all in order to find you the best health plan at the lowest cost. We do the work for you in finding an Algeria expat health insurance or international health insurance plan..
For more information about traveling to Algeria or about the Algeria expat health insurance plans and programs that we can offer you please contact us today. For your convenience you may fill out this quick and easy online form by clicking here.
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