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Cameroon international health insurance / Healthcare System
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The Republic
of Cameroon lies in the Gulf of Guinea and the land boundaries
extend between the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the
Republic of the Congo (ROC), Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria. The
country has a total land area of 475,400 square kilometers. The
capital city Yaoundé is located at the central part of the
country. Cameroon is an English and French speaking country, with
French as the predominant language. The climate in Cameroon varies
according to the physical geography of the country. The weather in
the southern part is different to that of the northern part. The
average temperature of the southern and coastal area ranges from
22 to 29°C while in the north it ranges from 23 to 26°C. Dry
seasons are different between the southern and the northern
regions; two dry seasons exist in the southern part of the
country, it runs from November to March and from June to August,
whereas in the northern part of the country, the dry season runs
from October to March.
Cameroon is gradually becoming a more popular location for
travellers around the world. Cameroon has everything one would
expect from the African continent, including rainforests, beaches,
desert, lakes and savannah. There are volcanic mountains in the
southwest and northwest part of the country, and it offers plenty
of opportunity to observe impressive wildlife throughout the
country.
Medical facilities in Cameroon are limited; the facilities are
more satisfactory in urban areas than rural areas. According to
the World Bank organisation, the HIV/AIDs infection rate in
Cameroon is about 5%. The World Bank has provided funding for the
country to carry out education and treatment programmes for
HIV/AIDs. Major diseases in Cameroon include diphtheria, hepatitis
A, malaria, rabies, tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever, it is
recommended to get the appropriate vaccinations and medications
prior to travelling to Cameroon.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is responsible for the effective
operation of Cameroon’s healthcare system. The total expenditure
on healthcare is currently around 5% of the country’s GDP.
Investments have been made towards upgrading the medical
facilities and equipment, as well as to enhance the overall
structure of the healthcare system.
Health facilities in Cameroon are run either by the Government or
by private services managed by different churches and other
private individuals. Traditional doctors also play an important
role by providing alternative healthcare services in the country.
The public healthcare system in Cameroon is separated into three
levels namely Central (strategic), intermediary (technical) and
peripheral (operational). Healthcare facilities in Cameroon
include hospitals and clinics.
According to the World Health Organisation’s rankings of the
world's health systems, Cameroon ranked 164 out of 190 countries.
Moreover, the doctor to patient ratio is 1:12,500, meaning that
there is always a lack of doctors. In fact, the shortage of
medical professionals in Cameroon is a major concern in the
healthcare sector. However, the Government of Cameroon has tried
to formulate policies to overcome the obstacles and provide better
healthcare services in the country. Both government run and
private hospitals are available in Cameroon; however, the standard
is far from on par with those that most foreigners are used to in
Western countries. The sanitation levels of these health
facilities are low and equipment has often been poorly maintained,
even in the best hospitals and clinics in the country. Health
facilities are scarce outside major cities like Yaoundé and
Douala. It is highly recommended that international travellers to
take out a full medical insurance policy before departure.
Coverage of medical evacuation and travel should be included in
your Cameroon international medical insurance policy in case you
require medical treatment that is not available inside the
country, as these services are often extremely costly.
Health insurance almost does not exist in Cameroon. Generally, it
becomes the burden of the family members to pay for the cost of
treatments. This often puts the family members into financial
difficulties and accumulates huge debts, and with severe
consequences. These may include no or limited education for
children, shortage of food or family members and potentially a
loss of home if the debt is substantial enough. The Government has
recently attempted to put in place a healthcare plan for civil
servants. Under this plan, the Government would bear a fraction of
the healthcare costs incurred by civil servants who fell ill.
Private healthcare is also available in Cameroon; however, the
costs of treatment are relatively expensive. Patients are required
to pay for all the medical services rendered; either by out of
pocket payment or by having a health insurance plan already in
place. Only a small group of people in the country can afford the
healthcare services offered by the private healthcare sector, due
to the fact that about 48% of the population lives below the
poverty line in Cameroon,
Overall, there are limited public healthcare facilities in
Cameroon and access to public healthcare services cannot be taken
for granted especially in the rural areas. Moreover, the standard
of care is typically not satisfactory. There is a continuous shortage of
medical professionals in the country and a high rate of corruption
exists within the public healthcare system in Cameroon, which
further reduces its effectiveness.
In some cases, if a medical emergency is serious enough, you
may require treatment that is not available in cameroon for
one reason or another. In such cases you may require an
emergency medical evacuation to the nearest country with a
medical facility that can provide the treatment you need,
however medical emergency evacuations are extremely expensive.
As an expatriate or traveler in cameroon, international health
insurance may provide you with the best medical cover for your
situation and will also defray the costs of medical
emergencies.
Globalsurance is a one-stop insurance brokerage service provider
for you when travelling to Cameroon. We offer a wide range of
policies
to meet your individual needs, including benefits such as
dental, maternity, inpatient, outpatient, specialist
consultations, and many others. We offer a large variety of
healthcare plans as well as travellers insurance plans. Contact
our professional advisers today to enjoy full insurance protection
such as an Expat Health Insurance Plan for yourself and your
family.
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