| |
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
Jordan Expat Health Insurance / Healthcare System News |
|
|
|
|
| |
Jordan is a modern Arab nation with a predominately middle class population that lacks the vast wealth and natural resources of most of its neighbors. Jordan is geographically landlocked except at its southern extremity, where nearly twenty-six kilometers of shoreline along the Gulf of Aqaba provide access to the Red Sea. While continuing to stay moderately peaceful with all of its bordering countries(Israel, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestine), Jordan had to deal with the United Nations sanctions on Iraq which was the largest operation for peace and security in the history of the United Nations. Prior to 2001 Jordan's main trade partner was Iraq. However, the U.N. sanctions against Iraq meant that Jordan lost most of its overseas trade. This meant that the Kingdom of Jordan as a result had to face massive immigration and emigration, a rapid demographic growth, and a urban migration. All this has imposed a great challenge on Jordan's; healthcare infrastructure, government and raw resources. All the while, Jordan had to keep dealing with the less than fully functioning public healthcare system, a demand for a quality maternal child care service, and a serious increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as; cancer, obesity, cardiovascular, respiratory, and diabetes. Chronic Diseases are the leading cause of the mortality in Jordan (65%).
In spite of all these difficulties, Jordan's healthcare system has improved dramatically over the last two decades; about 70% of Jordanians had medical insurance in 2007, the Jordanian government plans to reach 100% in 2011. In 1988 Jordan started to reduce the infant mortality rate by implementing a child immunization program which helped Jordan surpass the average worldwide rate, and The King Hussein Cancer Center is the only specialized cancer treatment facility in the Middle East. It is one of the top cancer treatment facilities in the world.
Jordan was ranked by the World Bank to be the number one healthcare services provider in the Middle East and among the top 5 in the world and the treatment cost in Jordanian hospitals is less than in other countries. In 2008, 250,000 patients sought treatment in the Kingdom including Iraqis, Palestinians, Sudanese, Syrians, Americans, Canadians, and Egyptians. Jordan earned almost $1 billion dollars in medical tourism revenues according to the World Bank.
Since the early 2000s the healthcare in the country has been delivered through governmental and private hospitals, family/community health centers and hospital-based health professionals. The country's health care system is divided between public and private institutions. In the public sector, the Ministry of Health operates 1,245 primary health-care centers and 27 hospitals, accounting for 37 percent of all hospital beds in the country; the military's Royal Medical Services runs 11 hospitals, providing 24 percent of all beds; and the Jordan University Hospital accounts for 3 percent of total beds in the country. The private sector provides 36 percent of all hospital beds, distributed among 56 hospitals.
In 2003, Jordan's total per capita expenditure on healthcare was USD $412 (9.5 % of GDP) ranking Jordan between Cyprus and Turkey. This puts Jordan in the top six Middle East Cancer Consortium Countries (MECC) in terms of healthcare spending. This figure falls within a spending range of USD $1839 in Israel (8.7 % of GDP) and USD$153 in Egypt (3.9 % of GDP). At 3.9 % the smallest spending as a percentage of GDP is in Egypt
In the 2008 Quality of Life Index, Jordan was ranked as having one of the highest qualities of life in the Arab World. Jordan also has one of the highest standard of livings in the developing world with a highly educated population with access to advanced healthcare services in urban and rural areas. The main obstacles to Jordan's development are its troubled economy, lack of natural resources, its dependency on imported oil (Jordan lost its vital oil grants in 2003 and world oil prices rose), and high unemployment rate.
While Jordan can offer you a fairly high quality of healthcare this will be generally limited to medical facilities in the major cities of Amman, Az-Zarqa, and Irbid. Medical services in rural and more remote areas will not will not be on the level of those offered elsewhere around the world.
|
|
Jordan Expat Health Insurance |
| |
Globalsurance is able to cater to specific individual requirements. Depending on your needs we can offer policies which will typically extend to you a number of coverage options.
Whether you are traveling through or an expat living in Jordan, expat health insurance can often provide the most comprehensive health coverage available.
In order to help you receive the quality healthcare that you deserve while in Jordan please contact our dedicated advisors, or to recieve a free quote click here today. |
|
