 |
|
|
|
| |
Democratic Republic of Congo International Health Insurance / Healthcare System
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 The Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire is a country
situated in Central Africa. It is the third largest country in
Africa; bordering nations include Angola, Burundi, Central African
Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
and Zambia. DRC was a former Belgian colony, and the country
gained its independence on June 1960. The total land area of the
Congo is 2,267,599 square kilometers. The capital city of DRC is
Kinshasa, located along the south bank of the Congo River.
The climate of the DRC is tropical all year round. As the country
sits very close to the equator, the weather is typically hot and
humid, although it is cooler and drier in the southern highlands.
North of the equator, the rainy season is between April to
October, while South of the equator, the rainy season is between
November to March. The temperature in the country falls between
the range of 17-31°C, with an average temperature of around 25°C.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is famous for its violent
history; some parts of the country are unsafe for sightseeing of
any kind. However, the country has a high potential for
adventurous and natural tourism. The DRC contains various
beautiful landscapes along with forests, lakes, waterfalls and a
wide variety of wildlife. The DRC is a huge country with plenty of
traditional cultures and a large biodiversity in Africa. If you
are planning to visit the DRC, it is recommended to go to the main
tourism areas and join guided tour groups led by more experienced
tour guides who are knowledgeable with the local culture.
Healthcare services in the DRC are decentralised. The Ministry of
Health is responsible for overseeing the overall operation of the
country’s healthcare system to ensure that it operates
effectively. The districts and provinces are responsible to
technically support and supervise the health zones, where the
health zone is the operational unit that combines the primary
healthcare services and the first referral level.
Basic healthcare services in the DRC are provided by clinics and
hospitals in the country. The network of hospitals and health
centres in DRC consists of facilities belonging to the Government;
religious-based NGOs, companies and private parties. The total
expenditure that the Government spent on healthcare in the DRC is
around 4.3% of the country’s GDP. Due to the lack of Government
financing spent on public healthcare facilities, NGOs in the
country have a reputation in providing better quality healthcare
services. For-profit private healthcare sector is available in the
country. Private healthcare facilities include health posts,
health centres, maternity clinics, and specialised hospitals etc.;
however, due to about 71% of the population in DRC living below
the poverty line, this private healthcare sector is very small.
According to the Global Finance magazine, DRC is the poorest
country in the world in 2010; it ranks 1 out of 182 countries,
with a GDP (PPP) per capita per year of US$ 342. As a comparison,
Qatar that ranks 182 out of 182 countries; it has a GDP (PPP) per
capita per year of US$ 90,149.
The majority of the medical facilities are primarily focused in
main towns and cities; there are basically no healthcare
facilities that meet western standards outside urban areas. For
serious illnesses or major accidents, patients may require
evacuating by air ambulance to nearby countries like South Africa
for medical treatments, which is a very expensive option. As such,
it is recommended that all expatriates and travellers within the
DRC purchase some kind of comprehensive international medical
insurance policy, which includes an emergency evacuation benefit.
Medicines are in short supply and some medicines may not be found
in the DRC, if you are taking medication regularly, it is advised
that you bring sufficient supply to cover the whole of your stay
in the DRC.
Diseases that are common in the DRC are malaria, rabies, polio,
meningitis and cholera. It is recommended that you receive
appropriate injections prior to travelling to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. While travelling to the DRC, consider all
water as contaminated and consume only imported bottled water.
Milk in the country is unpasteurised; therefore, it is recommended
to avoid all dairy products.
The doctor to patients’ ratio in DRC is 1:22,000; the shortage of
physicians is severe in the country. Moreover, the majority of the
healthcare personnel are concentrated in the urban areas; rural
areas suffer a far greater shortage of medical resources.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in comparison to
the rest of the world’s healthcare systems, DRC ranked 188 out of
190 countries, which is near the bottom of the list. The two other
countries’ healthcare systems that fall behind DRC are Central
African Republic and Myanmar.
In summary, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a poor country
and there are limited healthcare facilities available, mainly
focused in the urban areas of the country. The quality of the
medical care is far from being on par with those standards in the
western countries. For visitors and expatriates who are looking
for peace-of-mind knowing that medical costs will be covered in
the event of an accident or illness for yourself and your family
while travelling to the DRC, buying a comprehensive travel
insurance or an international health insurance plan will be the ideal
solution for you.
Globalsurance is a one-stop insurance brokerage service provider
for you when travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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 International Health Insurance Plan for
yourself and your family.
|
|
|
|
|
