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Guinea,
officially known as the Republic of Guinea, is situated on the
West coast of Africa, bordering countries include Sierra Leone and
Liberia to the South, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the North, and
Mali and Côte d'Ivoire inland to the East. The total land area of
the country is 245,857 square kilometers. The capital city of
Guinea is Conakry, which is located on the coast of the Atlantic
Ocean. Guinea was once a French colony, but it gained its
independence in 1958. French is the official language of Guinea.
The climate of Guinea is generally tropical, there are two seasons
in the country namely a dry season and a wet season. The dry
season lasts from November to March while the wet season is from
April to October. The average annual temperature of the country is
about 25°C.
One of the main tourist attractions of Guinea is the country’s
undisturbed countryside and breathtaking scenery. Guinea is full
of spectacular landscape, including mountains, plains, savannah
and tropical forests. The country also has some of the best hiking
routes in Western Africa.
The healthcare system in Guinea is comprised of both public and
private sectors. Under Guinea's public healthcare code, throughout
the Republic of Guinea, the law provides protection and promotion
of health and for the rights and duties of the individual, the
family, and the society. However, the medical facilities
throughout the whole of Guinea, including in the capital city and
rural areas are very limited and are generally poorly equipped.
Medical facilities in the public sector include health stations,
health centres, as well as regional and national hospitals. There
are overall shortages in medicines and sterilised equipment.
Moreover, medical treatments are often unrealiable and there are
not enough medical professionals to keep the level of healthcare
at an acceptable level of quality. According to the World Health
Organisation (WHO), in comparison to the rest of the world’s
healthcare systems, Guinea ranked 161 out of 190 countries.
Private healthcare is available in Guinea but the standard is
still far below standards adhered to in most western countries. In
contrast with public healthcare, private healthcare normally
offers a better selection of treatment options. Medical facilities
under the private sector include clinics, company hospitals,
doctors’ practices, dentists’ offices and midwives’ offices.
Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for
medical care. The Human Development Index indicated that Guinea is
one of the poorest countries in the world; it ranked 157 out of
175 countries. According to the World Factbook, CIA, about 47% of
the population lives below the poverty line. As such, only a small
group of the population can afford private healthcare sector.
Emergency rescue services and ambulance are not available in
Guinea, and trauma care is extremely limited. In the event of any
serious accidents or illnesses, medical evacuation to Europe may
be required and the cost for this service is usually very
expensive. Pharmacies in the capital city are normally well
stocked, but there are shortages in the supply of essential drugs
and other medical supplies outside of the capital.
The healthcare sector funding comes from four main sources, namely
the State, local authorities, the public and donors. The State is
responsible for the officials’ salaries, overhead costs for the
medical structures as well as basic and advanced training. Local
authorities are responsible for the wages of some of the
contractual employees. While the public contribute to partial
costs of the health infrastructures, operating costs of health
facilities, sourcing of pharmaceuticals, staff incentives and
maintenance expenses. Donors mainly finance the costs of medical
equipments, sourcing of vaccines and costs associated with
training. The total expenditure from the Government on healthcare
in Guinea is around 5.7% of the country’s GDP.
Water in Guinea is considered to be contaminated, travellers are
advised to consume only bottled or distilled water for drinking.
It is also recommended that you carry some basic medical supplies
while travelling in Guinea.
Malaria is a serious risk to travellers in Guinea. Other insect
borne diseases include yellow fever and filariasis also occur in
the country. Water borne, food borne and some infectious diseases
including HIV/AIDS, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, tuberculosis,
lassa fever and rabies are common in the country, more serious
outbreaks may happen at times. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in
2009 is estimated at 1.3%. It is recommended that visitors to
receive appropriate vaccinations prior to travelling to Guinea.
Moreover, it is also advised to take preventive measures to avoid
insect bites, for example using insect repellent at all times and
wearing long sleeves, lose fitting, light coloured clothing, etc.
Given that the healthcare standards of Guinea are not on par with
the standards of most western countries, it is highly recommended
that foreigners to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance or
international medical insurance if you were to stay in Guinea for
a longer period of time. In order to have an ease of mind knowing
that medical costs will be covered in the event of an accident or
illness while travelling to Guinea, it is advisable to take out an
insurance plan which will cover you for medical transportation or
evacuation.
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