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Palau International Health Insurance / Healthcare System
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 The Republic
of Palau is a country located in Micronesia, approximately 100
kilometers east of the Philippines. There are four large,
populated islands in Palau including Koror, Anguar, Babeldaob, and
Peleliu. Other regions of the country include the Rock Islands,
consisting of 200 uninhabited islands; the atoll of Kayangel, and
six remote islands known as the Southwest Islands. Collectively,
Palau has a land area of 458 square kilometers, and a small
population of 20,000 people. Around 70 percent of the population
lives within the island of Koror. Today, Palau is emerging as a
popular tourist destination for scuba diving, with other large
industries including agriculture and fishing.
Palau is facing many challenges due to its lack of infrastructure
and small population. The country's population growth is the
smallest in the Micronesian region at 1.5 percent. With limited
education and jobs in Palau, the population is forced to relocate
to countries where there are more opportunities. As a result,
Palau lacks a skilled workforce and is forced to recruit
expatriate professionals. Lack of a comprehensive healthcare
workforce places a large burden on the health care system. There
are shortages in healthcare staff within medicine, nursing, and
allied health; and Palau can not afford to recruit the experienced
staff it needs.
The Belau National Hospital (BNH), funded by the United States and
located on the busy island of Koror, is the only hospital in
Palau. Most regions of the country can reach the BNH in less than
2 hours. Palau has two private medical clinics located in Koror,
and four medical centers known as 'super dispensaries' located in
the busy regions of Ngarchelong, Ngeremlenegui, Melekeok and
Peleliu. The outlaying, remote islands have four small community
health clinics.
The Belau National Hospital is the referral hospital for the
entire population of Palau. It provides primary health care,
emergency care, surgery, inpatient, pediatric and outpatient
services. The Belau National Hospital has basic diagnostic
radiology equipment including CT scan, X-rays, and mammogram.
Patients who require an MRI scan are referred overseas to Manilla
where the equipment is readily available at private hospitals.
There is also a small basic physiotherapy unit, decompression
chamber for diving related accidents and dialysis unit available.
A pharmacy is present within the hospital, however medical
supplies are limited and frequently out of stock.
International specialist doctors make regular temporary visits to
Palau, offering consultations at the Belau National Hospital in
Koror. The Ministry of Health provides information for future
specialist visits and patients are generally required to obtain a
referral from their general practitioner, prior to making an
appointment. Recently, the Tripler Army Medical Centre from
Hawaii, made a visit to the Belau National Hospital, offering
adult cardiology services.
In 2005, the Ministry of Health set forth a government initiative
which emphasized a holistic view of health care in that the
environment, social behavior, and genetics are all important
factors that influence the health of Palauans. The Ministry of
Health's long term plan is to provide 'health care for all',
extending from the busy island of Koror to the outlying and remote
islands within the country.
In recent years, the Ministry of Health has made efforts to
improve its health care facilities and resources, particularly
within the Belau National Hospital (BNH). The BNH is now equipped
with two generators, enabling independent power for one month; it
has a respiratory isolation unit for serious pathogen cases; and
has staff trained in handling hazardous materials. The BNH hopes
to expand its inpatient capacity, as well provide services to
patients on the other nearby islands.
The four super dispensaries, or medical centres, are located in
areas of Palau that are populated and require medical resources.
There are three super dispensaries located on the busy island of
Babeldaob and one super dispensary on the island of Peleliu. The
four small community health clinics serve the small remote islands
Kayangel, Angaur, and the South West Islands. Super dispensaries
and community health clinics provide basic primary health care
services and referrals to the Belau National Hospital.
A comprehensive health insurance plan is highly recommended when living in a country where the adequate level of medical care may not be readily available. Healthcare is generally very limited in Palau due to lack of modern medical equipment, medical supplies and specialized health care staff. In the case of a serious illness or accident, patients will need to be evacuated to Manila in the Philippines or the United States to receive the adequate level of medical care. Air transportation services are highly expensive and can cost up to USD$50,000. As such, expats living in Palau should obtain a international health insurance policy that provides coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation services, as well as worldwide coverage to allow access to specialized medical care in the Philippines and the United States.
Communicable diseases are prevalent in Palau. The level of
sanitation and access to potable water is not adequate in all
regions of the country. There are cases of cholera, typhoid fever
and other bacterial diseases reported with occasional outbreaks
from time to time. Leprosy, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rabies
are also prevalent in Palau. Vaccinations are recommended for
travelers and expats living in Palau, including hepatitis A,
typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and
tetanus-diphtheria. It is highly advisable to drink bottled water
or sterilize tap water through boiling or chlorine tablets. During
the rainy season in Palau, which is typically between the months
of June to September, the threat of communicable disease and
vector borne disease is inflated. As such, extra precautions
should be taken during high periods of rainfall.
Many people travel to Palau every year for vacation and
unfortunately there are occasional reports of accidents related to
diving. These incidents are usually associated with inexperienced
divers. It is highly important that divers are supervised by
experienced, qualified instructors, in order to prevent a diving
incident such as drowning. Medical emergency facilities are very
limited in Palau, and in the event of a serious accident,
emergency equipment or experienced medical staff may not be
readily available.
Driving in Palau can be dangerous and should be exercised with
caution. Roads are poorly marked in Palau, with road signs
virtually non existent in most areas. Roads are not always sealed
in Palau, particularly in the northern region of Koror. During
high rainfall, unsealed roads become very muddy and can result in
cars getting stuck or bogged down by mud.
Emergency protocols should be adopted by residents to avoid risk
of injury during the event of an accident, serious illness or
criminal event. For all emergency services in Palau including
ambulance, police department or fire service dial 9-1-1. It is
important to note that emergency response is very limited within
regions outside the busy island of Koror.
The contact number for the Belau National Hospital in Koror is
+680 488 2552.
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Palau International Health Insurance |
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If you are living, working or traveling in Palau, international health insurance can provide you some of the most comprehensive insurance benefits available. For more information about Palau medical insurance plans,
or to receive a free International Health Insurance Quote,
please contact
one of our dedicated advisers today. |
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