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Chad international health insurance / healthcare system
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The Republic
of Chad, otherwise known as Chad, is a landlocked country located
in central Africa. Chad shares borders with the Central African
Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Libya and Sudan and is
sometimes referred to as the ‘Dead Heart of Africa’ due to its
large area of desert and distance from the sea. Chad has a total
landmass of 1,284,000 square kilometers and a population of
approximately 10 million people. Approximately 80 percent of this
population lives below the international poverty line and Chad
ranks as the seventh poorest country in the world on the United
Nation’s Human Development Index. Chad boasts over 200 ethnic
groups and 100 individual languages and dialects, although French
and Arabic are the country’s official languages of education and
business. Chad has a rich cultural diversity with music, song and
storytelling integral parts of everyday life.
Chad is a former French colony which achieved independence in
1960. Since then, decades of civil conflict, power struggles and
attempted coup d’états have had long lasting effects on the
country and its economy. The delivery of public services have been
hampered by a lack of development and infrastructure. The road and
transport network is limited with a high percentage of roads
unusable for large parts of the year. Chad’s working population is
generally made up of farmers and herders and the production and
export of cotton was for long periods the backbone of the economy.
In 2000, oil exploration companies began to develop the southern
oilfields which in turn have raised international confidence in
the economy. The perception of corruption, however, remains a
major stumbling block. It is rife at all levels of society and
Chad consistently ranks among the top 10 most corrupt countries in
the world.
Health care funding in Chad, in comparison to some of its
neighbors, remains well below the regional average with
approximately 3.5 percent of GDP allocated to health care
annually. A lack of trained medical personnel and modern medical
infrastructure has resulted in a large percentage of the
population, particularly those living outside of the major cities
and towns, having no access to medical facilities. As a result,
the average life expectancy rate for both men and women is low at
just 47 years. The infant mortality rate is 93.13 per 1,000 live
births and approximately 20 percent of all infants die before they
reach the age of five. Less than half the population has access to
clean and safe drinking water. HIV/AIDS infection rates are lower
than its neighbors at 35 per 1,000 adults, however, Polygamy is
widespread and with less than 4 percent of the population using
contraceptives and practicing safe sex, this figure is expected to
rise.
Government funds comprise approximately 55 percent of total health
expenditure (THE) with the remainder provided by the private
sector. Bilateral donations and grants from international
organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) provide
up to 10 percent of total health funding. Of the remaining private
sector contributors, approximately 96 percent comes from out of
pocket contributions. The final 4 percent is made up of funding
from international donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
and charities.
Medical facilities in Chad are basic and limited. While
information on public health facilities is not widely available,
there is one state run hospital in the capital city N’Djamena. The
N’Djamena General Hospital provides basic level medical care and
some specialist treatments. Two private facilities, both in the
capital N’Djamena, are capable of providing international standard
health care. They are the International SOS La Centre Medical
International and the Europ Assistance HIS Clinic. It should be
noted that both clinics generally only treat the resident
expatriate community and are usually reluctant to provide medical
care to the general population and travelers. Consequently, in the
event of a serious accident or illness, all travelers are advised
to obtain travel and medical insurance that specifically provides
for medical evacuation to more advanced medical facilities in
Europe.
Chad’s tropical climate has ensured that a variety of diseases and
viruses are common throughout the whole territory. Malaria and
other water-borne diseases are widespread in the southern more
fertile parts of Chad, particularly during the humid conditions
that accompany its wet season, typically May to October. Standard
precautions against insect bites such as using disinfected bed
nets, wearing long sleeve trousers and shirts and using insect
repellant can help reduce the risk of contracting malaria.
Prescription drugs and medicines, including anti-malarial drugs,
may not be widely available in Chad therefore travelers are
advised to purchase and correctly label prescription medicines in
their home country before departure. Travelers in general are
advised to seek medical advice four to six weeks prior to
departure. The routine vaccination against tetanus-diphtheria,
measles, mumps, rubella (MMR vaccine) and varicella (chickenpox)
should be updated, if necessary, before departure. Vaccinations
against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Meningococcal
(Meningitis), Polio, Rabies, Typhoid and Yellow Fever are all
advised. Diarrhea is the most common ailment among travelers and
all short term visitors to the country should bring anti-diarrheal
medicines. Chad’s poor water quality is the main cause of diarrhea
and similar stomach related illnesses. A Cholera outbreak in the
early part of 2011 affected over 1,500 people with 30 reported
deaths.
Crimes of opportunity are common in Chad with tourists and other
short term visitors regularly targeted. Expatriates and tourists
are advised to dress modestly and avoid wearing expensive jewelry.
Large amounts of cash should be kept in safe surroundings and not
displayed in public places. A number of areas frequented by
tourists have seen an increase in pick pocketing, purse snatching
and theft from vehicles. Tourists are advised to be cautious at
all times and to be aware of their surroundings. While the
political situation has stabilized somewhat, strikes by workers
and other public gatherings and demonstrations have the potential
to turn violent and should be avoided.
Purchasing comprehensive travel and medical insurance before
traveling to Chad is strongly recommended. Emergency medical and
healthcare costs, including medical evacuation to a European
country, are expensive. To ensure that you are sufficiently
protected, purchase an international health insurance plan. For
more information about the insurance plans offered by
Globalsurance, or to receive a free global health insurance quote,
please contact one of our advisers today.
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