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Sierra Leone International Health Insurance / Healthcare System News
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 The Republic
of Sierra Leone, commonly referred to as Sierra Leone, is a
country on the west coast of Africa that shares land borders with
Guinea and Liberia. Sierra Leone has an approximate population of
5.4 million people within a land area of 71,740 square kilometers.
Sierra Leone has a diverse environment with four distinct
geographical regions. Large tracts of farmland, savannah,
rainforests and mountains add to the natural beauty of the
country. Sierra Leone experiences a tropical climate, with
distinct wet and dry seasons. The wet season is typically from May
to November. In 1961, independence was achieved from Great Britain
and a constitutional republic was created with Freetown as its
capital city. Sierra Leone has 16 ethnic groups, each with their
own language, customs and traditions. English is the country’s
official language and is used by the government and in schools.
The majority of people speak both English and a local language
called Krio.
The Sierra Leone economy is largely reliant on subsistence
agriculture. The agriculture sector employs two thirds of the
nation’s workforce and comprises approximately 60 percent of the
country’s GDP. Rich in natural minerals, Sierra Leone is among the
top 10 diamond exporters in the world. Sierra Leone also ranks as
one of the world’s biggest producers of titanium and bauxite, has
one of the world’s largest deposits of rutile and is a major gold
producer. Despite this natural wealth, unemployment is high and a
majority of people live in poverty. Mismanagement of natural
resources, government corruption and human rights abuses led to a
civil war that began in 1991 and ended in 2002. During this
period, tens of thousands of people were killed and much of the
country’s infrastructure was destroyed.
Following the end of the civil war, Sierra Leone’s health care
facilities required rebuilding and were chronically understaffed.
In response, the government decided to divide the country into 13
health districts and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation
decentralized the health sector to increase public accessibility.
Each health district now has a technical staff of 100 personnel,
supervised by a health management team who are based in Peripheral
Health Units (PHU). Primary health care is delivered in three
different levels which all fall under the umbrella of the PHU.
Primary level health facilities are the Maternal and Child Health
Posts which cater to small towns and villages with populations of
less than 2,000 people. Community health centers are capable of
administering preventative measures and cures. Community health
posts are smaller than health centers in terms of personnel and
facilities and usually refer patients to the district hospital or
health center.
Funding of the health care system in Sierra Leone is provided by
the national government, private organizations and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The government allocates
approximately 4 per cent of GDP on an annual basis to health care.
Private organizations comprise approximately 35 percent of the
total annual health care expenditure with the remainder being
provided by grants and loans from international donors and NGOs.
The United Kingdom’s overseas aid division the Department for
International Development (DFID) is the largest contributor to
health care programs in Sierra Leone and this finance has been
used to help rebuild hospitals, purchase drugs and medicines and
to pay the salaries of medical staff.
The quality of medical facilities in Sierra Leone will vary
greatly depending on location. Rural facilities are basic and
limited and suffer from sanitation problems and electricity
shortages. Facilities in the capital city Freetown are an
improvement on those available in rural areas, although they are
still considerably short of international standards. In Freetown,
a number of state run hospitals such as the Connaught Hospital and
the Princess Christian Margaret Hospital (PCMH) provide cardiology
and general surgery services although it should be noted that both
hospitals suffer from a lack of specialist personnel, outdated
equipment and shortages of medicines. A number of privately run
medical hospitals and clinics also operate in Freetown and two of
the more well known are Brookfields Community and Curney Barnes.
Both public and private medical facilities will require cash
payment in advance of any treatment administered and private
facilities are considerably more expensive than those in the
public sector. As a result, expatriates and visitors to Sierra
Leone are advised to purchase comprehensive medical assurance
prior to their arrival in the country.
In 2007, Sierra Leone had the world’s highest infant mortality
rate and a high maternal mortality rate. With the help of
international donors, the government created a system in April
2010 that was designed to provide free health care for pregnant
women, breastfeeding women and children under five years. This
health scheme has had some success and it is expected to save the
lives of over one million mothers and children. The infant
mortality rate currently stands at 78.38 deaths per 1,000 live
births. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is 1.6 percent which is below
the regional average and approximately 50,000 people in Sierra
Leone live with HIV/AIDS.
Sierra Leone’s dilapidated infrastructure, poor sanitation levels
and climate all contribute to a high risk of contracting infection
and disease. Expatriates and visitors to Sierra Leone are advised
to seek medical advice four to six weeks before arrival in the
country. The following diseases are prevalent throughout the
country and vaccinations for each are strongly recommended:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever,
malaria, yellow fever, polio, rabies, schistosomiasis and Lassa
fever. The yellow fever vaccination certificate is required at
port of entry. Malaria is a deadly disease that can be fatal.
Standard precautions against insect bites and the use of
anti-malarial prescription medicines are advised. Cholera remains
a problem and there are frequent outbreaks. Bottled water should
be used at all times and ice in drinks should be avoided.
Crimes of opportunity are quite common in Sierra Leone with
incidents of muggings, assault and burglary on the increase, some
of which have been carried out by armed gangs. Business fraud
synonymous with West Africa is common to Sierra Leone and schemes
that involve the purchase and sale of diamonds are illegal which
can cause considerable financial loss and a possible lengthy
prison sentence. There is no emergency services contact number in
Sierra Leone and the police response to requests for assistance is
often unpredictable and unreliable.
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Sierra Leone International Health Insurance |
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Visitors to Sierra Leone should be aware that medical facilities
in the country are limited. In the event of a serious accident or
illness, evacuation to a country with modern facilities is
necessary. Individual travelers, families and groups should ensure
they are appropriately protected against all possible medical
eventualities, including emergency medical evacuation. Sierra Leone international health insurance plans can be tailored to include benefits
such as dental, maternity and travel. To receive a free quotation
or to find out information about the various international health
insurance products and services Globalsurance can offer, please
contact one of our dedicated advisers today. |
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