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Comoros: Healthcare System
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 The Union of
the Comoros is a country located in the Indian Ocean, situated 300
kilometers off the east coast of Africa, adjacent to the northern
tip of Madagascar. The Comoros is made up of three islands
including the Grand Comore (officially called Ngazidja), Moheli,
and the Anjouan island. The small country has a population of
approximately 798,000 people and a total land area of 1,862 square
kilometers. The capital of the Comoros is Maroni, located on the
main island Grand Comore. Around fifty percent of the population
live on the island of Grand Comore, the most developed of the
three Comoros islands.
The Comoros nation has experienced many challenges in recent
years, mainly associated with political and economic instability.
Since the Comoros gained independence from France in 1975, more
than twenty coups have attempted to overthrow the national
government. Today the security situation remains unpredictable,
however it is hoping to improve. Comoros is one of the world's
poorest countries, having little natural resources and heavily
relying on international aid to fund its development.
International aid in the Comoros has been provided predominantly
by France, China, the World Health Organization, and the United
Nations. However, due to the nations' political and institutional
crisis, funding has decreased in Comoros over the years. The
Comoros have made subsequential efforts to join the HIPC
Initiative (Highly Indebted Poor Country) but unfortunately have
been unsuccessful to date. Once the political and institutional
crises is over, international aid is expected to return.
Since the Comoros gained independence in 1975, it's healthcare
system suffered greatly. French citizens, who provided the
majority of healthcare services, emigrated out of the country
leaving the Comoros depleted of qualified and experienced health
care staff. The Comoros were unable to provide funds to recruit
health care staff from overseas. Today, Comoros continues to lack
human resources within the healthcare sector, among other
professional sectors. Health care services are therefore very
limited in the Comoros, relying on international aid, volunteers
and charitable organizations to provide healthcare resources and
services.
In recent years, the Comoros Government has implemented public
health initiatives aimed at eradicating communicable diseases that
are highly prevalent in the country. The national immunization
program, funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and
Immunization (GAVI) and the World Vaccines Fund (WVF),
significantly increased the number of vaccinations across the
Comoros population. The national immunization program specifically
focused on the control of poliomyelitis, maternal and neonatal
tetanus, measles, hepatitis B, meningitis, and pneumonia. The
program also aimed to improve Comoros’ health information system,
in order to monitor the population and achieve 95% vaccination
numbers by 2011.
Other health care initiates in the Comoros have included an
anti-malarial campaign, implemented on the Moheli island in 2010.
The three year campaign, funded by the Chinese Government,
enforced all residents and visitors to the Moheli island to take
anti-malarial medication. Young children and those who were
pregnant were not required to take the anti-malarial medication. A
Chinese pharmaceutical firm, Artepharm, distributed the
anti-malarial medications. The World Health Organization also
provided mosquito nets to approximately 90 percent of the Moheli
population. Those who entered the island had to provide proof of
taking the anti-malarial medication, otherwise the medication was
provided. Due to inadequate funds, the Comoros Government was
unable to closely monitor the outcome of the program.
Hospitals, doctors, specialized and emergency care services are
very limited in the Comoros. There are a small number of national
hospitals situated in urban areas of the islands, and health
centers located throughout the country. There are small number of
private health care facilities and charitable healthcare
organizations. The largest hospital in the Comoros is the El
Maarouf Hospital, located in the capital Moroni on the Grand
Comore island. Since 1995, the hospital has been involved in
several projects aimed at improving the hospitals resources. The
Project for Improvement and Development of Equipment for the El
Maarouf Hospital, supported by the International Total Engineering
Corporation, aimed at improving health administration and
distribution of costs. International funding is hoping to expand
national hospitals in the Comoros, particularly within the Anjouan
island which lacks healthcare resources.
Caritas is a large international charitable organization that
assists the Comoros Government in providing primary health care,
hygiene, and support for women's issues, education and employment
services. Caritas has established health care centers based in the
capital Moroni, as well as health care centers across the rural
areas of the country, particularly within the southern region of
the Grand Comore island. Caritas health care centers provide
vaccination and health screening services for communicable
diseases specializing in malaria, tuberculosis, sexually
transmitted diseases, and leprosy. The Caritas health care centers
also provide family planning and basic fertility services. Within
the capital Maroni, Caritas has funded the Maroni Urban Medical
Centre, providing primary health care services, as well as a burns
unit and a nutritional rehabilitation unit. Health care services
are very limited and Caritas healthcare centers frequently
experience shortages in staff and medications. Diagnostic
equipment is very limited and basic.
In the event of a serious illness or accident, emergency
evacuation to a hospital overseas such as La Reunion Island or
South Africa will be required to receive the adequate level of
medical care. Air transportation, as well as medical services are
highly expensive in these locations. As such, expats are highly
recommended to obtain an international health insurance policy,
that includes emergency evacuation and repatriation and worldwide
medical coverage.
Comoros experiences frequent volcanic eruptions which have
resulted in evacuations, displacement of civilians, and
contamination of water supplies. On average, eruptions occur every
eleven years. Mount Karthala, located on the main island Grand
Comoros, has frequent volcanic eruptions, pouring toxic waste into
nearby water supplies. Further to this, hygiene methods are not
practiced widely by the population. Access to adequate water is
therefore a serious public health issue in the Comoros, resulting
in a high prevalence of communicable diseases particularly
cholera. Funding has been provided recently by the United Nations
and the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office in order to
to build protection for the water systems in Comoros, and
providing education to communities on hygiene and safe water
practices.
In the event of a volcanic eruption in the Comoros, expats should
monitor the media for further instruction. The Comoros have a
national emergency response for volcanic eruptions. International
aid is readily available through the United Nations, the French
Red Cross Society, and the Comoros Red Crescent Society.
Evacuation vehicles are available to provide evacuation is
required and the media is used to notify civilians. Nairobi is
also on standby is additional support is required. After a
volcanic eruption, strict hygiene methods must be practiced.
Bottled water should always used in the Comoros, otherwise
sterilization can be achieved through boiling water.
Emergency protocols should be adopted by residents and those
traveling to the Comoros to avoid risk of injury during the event
of a volcanic eruption, accident, serious illness or criminal
event.
For more information about Comoros medical insurance plans, or to
receive a free International Health Insurance Quote, please
contact one of our dedicated advisers today.
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