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Tanzania International Health Insurance / Healthcare System
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 Tanzania,
officially called the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country
located on the east coast of Africa. Tanzania encompasses a land
area of 945,203 square kilometers, has an approximate population
of 42 million people, and shares borders with Kenya, Uganda,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi
and Mozambique. Tanzania experiences a tropical climate although
the temperature varies greatly depending on altitude with the
highlands enjoying cool and pleasant conditions year round.
Rainfall is unevenly distributed among the low lying areas and
there are two wet seasons, usually from March to May and October
to December. Tanzania is famous for its vibrant styles of music
and its art, namely the Tingatinga style canvas paintings.
Formerly part of the British Empire, Tanzania achieved
independence in 1961. Zanzibar gained independence in 1963 and
while both countries united into a single state in 1964, Zanzibar
has since retained semi-autonomous status within the United
Republic of Tanzania. English is the sole official language of
Tanzania; however, it is not widely used and is largely confined
to the areas of education and the judiciary. Swahili is spoken
nationwide and each indigenous tribe also has their own language.
Despite only 4 percent of the national territory being arable
land, the agricultural sector employs approximately 80 percent of
the national workforce, comprises 85 percent of exports and is the
backbone of the national economy. Crops such as cotton, tea,
coffee, cashews and cloves account for the majority of exports.
Tanzania also has abundant natural resources which include natural
gas, coal, iron, uranium and the country is the third largest
producer of gold in Africa. A lack of investment in the mining
industry has prevented the successful extraction of these
resources and the country continues to be seen as one of the
poorest countries in Africa. In 2002, approximately 35 percent of
the population was thought to live below the international poverty
line.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is responsible for the
provision of health care in Tanzania. Services are delivered by a
number of organizations such as state run facilities, religious
missions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private
medical practitioners. Health care is divided into three levels
with primary level health care administered by health posts on a
community or village level which are staffed by nurses, midwives
and local health workers. District health centers and hospitals
provide secondary level care and are capable of providing
in-patient and out-patient services and some minor surgical
procedures. Regional hospitals, national hospitals and specialist
consultant hospitals provide tertiary level care although these
facilities lack modern equipment and are unable to provide certain
treatments or more complicated procedures.
Like most developing African countries, Tanzania lacks the
infrastructure and personnel needed to adequately deliver health
care to its citizens. It is estimated that the country requires an
additional 30,000 health workers to fulfill its obligations agreed
under the United Nations Millennium Development Goals initiative.
Volunteer organizations operating in Tanzania frequently call on
the Ministry of Health to begin aggressively recruiting trained
medical personnel and to increase investment in programs dedicated
to training staff to help address two of the health sector’s most
pressing problems. Low pay, limited training and promotional
opportunities and poor working conditions are all seen as major
obstacles to recruiting sufficient numbers of medical personnel.
Medical facilities in Tanzania are widely considered to be basic
and limited, particularly those outside of the capital Dar es
Salaam, and are considerably below international standards. In the
event of a serious accident or illness, medical evacuation to a
country with specialist staff and modern equipment may be
required. Expatriates and other short term visitors to Tanzania
are advised to purchase international medical insurance prior to
their arrival in the country.
HIV/AIDS has become a major health issue for Tanzania and the
disease is now at epidemic levels. It is estimated that 1.4
million people live with HIV/AIDS and the prevalence rate among
adults is 5.6 percent. Widespread poverty, personnel shortages and
poor health infrastructure have prevented the successful
distribution of drugs and medicines which can help prevent the
spread of the disease. Tanzania is now ranked as the 12th worst
affected country with HIV/AIDS and it is believed to have caused
the premature deaths of 86,000 people in 2009.
A number of diseases and viruses are prevalent in Tanzania and as
such, expatriates and visitors to the country are advised to seek
medical advice four to six weeks before travel. Vaccinations
against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Polio, Yellow Fever and
Rabies are all recommended. Updating the routine vaccination
against influenza, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and
diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) is also advised. The Yellow
Fever vaccination certificate is required at port of entry.
Malaria is prevalent in all low lying areas of Tanzania which are
at altitudes of less than 2,000 meters. Atovaquone/proguanil,
doxycycline, or mefloquine are prescription anti-malarial drugs
suitable for use in Tanzania. Other precautions that will reduce
the risk of insect bites such as using insect repellant, wearing
long sleeve shirts and trousers and sleeping with disinfected bed
nets are advised. It should be noted that the anti-malarial drug
chloroquine is not effective in Tanzania and should not be used.
Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, onchocerciasis, and
trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness) are other diseases
common to the region. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection
found at fresh water areas of Tanzania and swimming and bathing in
such areas should be avoided. Cholera is prevalent in many areas
of Tanzania and only bottled water should be used for drinking and
in the preparation of food.
Crime levels are quite high in Tanzania and incidents such as
vehicle theft, mugging, pick pocketing and even armed robbery are
common. Foreign nationals visiting areas frequented by tourists
are often targeted. Carrying excessive quantities of cash and
valuables such as jewelry and travel documents in public places is
not recommended. Incidents involving carjacking have occurred in
both urban and rural areas and drivers are advised to drive with
the windows up and doors locked at all times. In the event of an
accident or crime, the emergency services can be contacted by
dialing 111.
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Tanzania International Health Insurance |
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Medical facilities throughout Tanzania are limited and serious accidents and illnesses may require medical evacuation. Purchasing comprehensive travel and international medical insurance that contains a provision for emergency evacuation is strongly recommended. Globalsurance can assist you with any Tanzania international health insurance requirements you may have. For information about the various
products and services
Globalsurance can offer to individuals,
families or groups visiting Tanzania, or to receive a free
international medical insurance quote,
please contact one of our
advisers today.
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