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Somalia International Health Insurance / Healthcare System
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 Somalia,
formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is situated in
Eastern Africa and lies to the North of the equator. The bordering
countries include Djibouti to the Northwest, Ethiopia to the West,
and Kenya to the Southwest. Somalia is a coastal country with a
total land area of 637,657 square kilometers. The capital city of
Somalia is Mogadishu, which is located in the southern part of the
country on the coast of the Indian Ocean.
Somalia is principally desert land and the weather is hot all year
round except for higher elevations towards the North. The
temperature in most part of the country generally ranges from 30
to 40°C while at the higher elevated places, the temperature
ranges from 15 to 30°C. There are two rainy seasons in the country
namely from March to May and from September to December. Climate
between December and February is very dry and hot. There are
monsoons in the summer time and the winds normally cool down the
atmosphere.
Somalia is a country that has a history of violence. It is often
considered as one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
The country is not a safe place for independent travel, and a
vacation in Somalia is not recommended. However, for people who
must travel to Somalia, you are highly suggested to seek guidance
from an expert on tips to remain safe while in the country.
Despite the fact that Somalia is a war torn country, it offers a
number of beautiful sites, gorgeous beaches as well as the
country’s rich culture. The official language in Somalia is Somali
but many Somalians can speak some English.
The civil war in Somalia began in 1991 and it has continued to the
present, which has caused instability throughout the country.
Prior to 1991, the Ministry of Health was responsible for the
healthcare system of Somalia. Medical facilities included clinics,
health centres, out patient dispensaries and general and regional
hospitals. Although the distribution of healthcare was
unsatisfactory, there were a great number of physicians in the
country. Healthcare services and professionals were primarily
focused on the capital city of Somalia, medical facilities
elsewhere are extremely limited or non-existent.
Currently, the healthcare system in Somalia is reported to be one
of the worst among the countries in the Sub Saharan African
region. This is due to continuous civil war, famine and widespread
poverty. Both public and private healthcare are available in the
country, however, at present, there is no Governmental body to
regulate the healthcare system. It is estimated that about 78% of
the population has no access of healthcare services. The doctor to
patient ratio is around 1:25000.
Public or free healthcare is available through a few
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and foreign donors in the
country, for example, UNICEF, MSF and Save the Children. Public
medical facilities include health posts, mother and child health
centers and hospitals. They are mostly available in urban areas.
Medical facilities in the rural areas are very limited.
Private healthcare sector is also available in Somalia. It
consists of several medical facilities including clinics,
hospitals, consultancy rooms and pharmacies. A few problems do
exist in the private sector, namely poor quality of drugs, lack of
rules and regulations, inadequately trained medical staff,
unhygienic premises and shortage of medical equipment. Moreover,
some of the private clinics are actively profit seeking rather
than acting in the interest of the patients.
Recently, however, the few medical professionals who remained in
the country together with some businessmen have taken the
initiative and jointly established some small scale good quality
healthcare facilities. They have also started some period
immunizations campaigns against infectious diseases in the
country.
Although these new medical facilities have helped to bridge the
gap of the collapsed of the public healthcare services, the
citizens are still facing a number of problems. These new medical
facilities belong to the private healthcare sector and services
are not free; patients are required to pay for all medical
services rendered. Most of the Somalians live in extreme poverty,
to most locals, the costs are very expensive and payment in
advance is often required. Only a small segment of the population
can afford services from this sector.
Major diseases in Somalia include tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B &
C, malaria, infectious and parasitic diseases, diarrheal diseases
and HIV/AIDS. The prevalence percentage for HIV/AIDS was estimated
at around 0.7%. Polio is also a major problem in Somalia.
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Somalia International Health Insurance |
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Given that the political status of Somalia is rather unstable, it
is highly recommended that you purchase an international health insurance policy
while travelling to Somalia. In general, not all the health
insurance companies will provide coverage for acts of war or
terrorism under a medical insurance policy; as such getting a War
and Terrorism International health insurance policy can posses
some difficulties. However, Globalsurance is a one-stop insurance
brokerage service provider who can help you to find comprehensive
international medical insurance policies that will offer coverage
for war and terrorism or political unrest. Obviously, the coverage
may vary depending on the plan chosen. Should you want to find out
more on a large variety of healthcare plans that are available,
please contact our professional advisers today to enjoy full
insurance protection for yourself and your family.
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