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Venezuela International Health Insurance / Healthcare System |
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Venezuela or, as it is officially known, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, has a population exceeding more than 26 million people. Situated in South America, Venezuela has a varied terrain ranging from the snow-capped Andean peaks, Amazonian jungles, a Caribbean coastline and Angel Falls - the world's highest waterfall. Venezuela is an oil rich nation - an industry which generates the majority of Venezuela's national income. Even though the country is resource rich, many Venezuelans still live in poverty.
Over the decades, Venezuela's economy has experienced turbulent times and, in recent years, the Government of Venezuela has initiated economic, political and social change. The country has taken steps to reform the economy - including nationalization of industrial sectors - in order to overhaul the social system; this has been designed to help the poorest citizens of Venezuela benefit from the country's wealth from the oil industry. As Venezuela is now one of the major oil producers in the world, the financial benefits generated have been used to revitalize the country's economic strategy targeting expansion of the social system in the country.
The Venezuelan healthcare services and medical facilities vary greatly across the country. Generally, private hospitals and medical clinics in Caracas and other main cities are operated to a good standard. Venezuelan private healthcare providers offer good quality routine treatments, but for more complex medical treatments a patient will need to be treated outside Venezuela. In comparison, the provision of public healthcare services in Venezuelan state run hospitals and clinics is inadequate. It is common for publicly operated healthcare facilities to provide a low level of care, including running short of basic medical supplies. All visitors to Venezuela are urged to obtain Venezuelan international health insurance, which includes cover for medical emergency evacuation in case medical treatment is required outside the capabilities of the private Venezuelan healthcare sector.
There is a universal healthcare system in Venezuela, which provides Venezuelan citizens with free of charge healthcare services. The Venezuelan public healthcare system provides citizens of the country with comprehensive basic healthcare. However, there are inequalities within the Venezuelan healthcare system, with healthcare services and facilities outside of the major cities being of limited capabilities. Foreign visitors are urged to seek medical treatment from private healthcare facilities, which are able to provide a better quality of healthcare.
The Ministry of Health and Social Development (MHSD) in Venezuela is responsible for medical care, healthcare services and social welfare in the country. The MHSD plays a key steering role in ensuring policies, regulations and standards are implemented. Since the national healthcare programme to improve the Venezuelan health sector took effect, the MHSD has been entrusted with overseeing the development of the national healthcare system and the implementation of the nationwide scheme the Mission Barrio Adentro (Mission Inside the Neighborhood).
The Barrio Adento was created as part of a recent government overhaul of the country's economic and social system. This program is designed to expand access to public healthcare services across Venezuela, with emphasis on reaching the poor population. The Barrio Adentro seeks to provide all communities in Venezuela with public healthcare services, dental care and sports training as a fundamental right. However, in reality access to adequate healthcare services in rural and remote parts of Venezuela is currently still limited.
The Barrio Adentro is divided to form four tiers - tiers I to IV - with the lowest level focused on the key aspects of primary healthcare within localized neighborhoods and marginalized zones within Venezuela's large cities. The top tier of the Barrio Adentro - tier IV - concentrates on advanced secondary and tertiary care provided in 24 hour public referral and teaching hospitals.
The programme installed under Barrio Adentro was initially focused on preventative care, but has since expanded to include emergency healthcare services, surgical treatments, mental health services and dental and cancer treatments. While the programme is still in its early stages, it has evolved to provide a wider range of public healthcare services developing the public healthcare network coverage from small community health clinics to the larger scale specialist hospitals. Proposals include the construction of a number of
two story medical clinics - consultorios or doctor’s offices - to be staffed with certified resident medical professionals.
The Centro Medico La Floresta is a privately run healthcare facility in the capital Caracas, which was established in 1972. Centro Medico La Floresta is one of the leading healthcare service providers in Venezuela, with advanced technological equipment and is designed to respond to a range of medical needs. There is a large well trained medical team present in the hospital, which is capable of performing a variety of surgical procedures. The Centro Medico La Floresta is geared towards patient care and has a well established support group in the provision of health services. Foreign nationals will undoubtedly feel more
comfortable seeking treatment in a healthcare facility such as the Centro Medico La Floresta.
The Centro Clinico San Cristobal is located in the popular tourist city of San Cristobal. The healthcare clinic is privately run and provides emergency care, a range of surgical procedures, intensive care units, laboratory testing and ambulatory services. The Centro Clinico San Cristobal is one the main healthcare providers in the western region of Venezuela and caters for tourists and international visitors to the region requiring medical attention.
Foreign nationals should be aware that when seeking private healthcare services or medical treatment in Venezuela it is normally a requirement to pay-up-front in cash before receiving medical assistance, but some privately run healthcare providers may accept credit card payments. In some cases, if a patient cannot pre-pay in advance at a privately run healthcare facility, they may be referred to a public hospital for medical treatment. All non-citizens of Venezuela are required to pay for all public or private healthcare services or medical treatments when in Venezuela.
Venezuela has reported cases of yellow fever in a number of different states. Travelers to Venezuela are advised to have the yellow fever vaccination before visiting the country. Many countries in the region, will request visitors entering their country from Venezuela to prove that they have been vaccinated against yellow fever. It is recommended that visitors carry the yellow fever certificate when traveling in the country.
Chagas disease is a parasitic disease carried by the triatomine insect - locally known in Venezuela as 'chipo'. Chagas disease can occur anywhere within the South American region including Venezuela. Cases of chagas disease are mostly found in the Venezuelan rural states of Trujillo, Lara, Portuguesa, and Barinas, but there has been cases reported in the capital Caracas. It is uncommon for travelers to contract this disease, but visitors to Venezuela may be at risk if they stay in older adobes, thatched buildings or sleep outside. Visitors should consider where they will stay while in Venezuela, taking in consideration the potential risk of chagas disease.
Dengue fever is endemic to Latin America and the Caribbean region. In Venezuela, dengue fever can occur throughout the year; there has been an increase in the number of cases of dengue fever in recent years - particularly in the western and south western states. More than 40,000 cases of dengue fever have been reported in 2010 nationwide. Dengue fever is transmitted when humans are bitten by an infected mosquito and travelers are urged to take precautionary measures to prevent being bitten as there is no vaccination against the infection.
If you are planning on traveling to the Amazonas region of Venezuela, and plan to spend the night in the area, it is advisable to have the vaccination against rabies, due to reports of bats carrying the disease.
Travelers who require medication for a pre-existing medical condition should ensure they have an adequate supply of medications for the duration of their time in Venezuela, as there are likely to be difficulties in obtaining certain medications in the country - including brand name medications.
Also, visitors to Venezuela need to bear-in-mind that there are currency restrictions on money transactions, which may cause a problem if an individual does not hold enough cash to pay for medical treatment in a privately run healthcare facility. International visitors or expatriates in Venezuela who require medical treatment are strongly urged to obtain privately run healthcare services. This is due to quality standards being better than counterparts in the public healthcare sector. You should bear-in-mind, that access to adequate healthcare services outside the cities declines rapidly and, when possible, it is advisable to seek treatment in the main cities in Venezuela. It is paramount to ensure your Venezuelan international medical insurance covers you for medical evacuation services in
case complex treatment is required as it is mostly likely that a patient will be airlifted to Miami in the USA where comprehensive healthcare providers will be able to meet a patient’s needs.
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Venezuela International Health Insurance |
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If you are looking for peace-of-mind knowing that medical costs will be covered in case of an accident or illness, to yourself and your family, while traveling to or residing in Venezuela, international health insurance plan will be the ideal solution. Policies can be tailor-made to ensure all your needs are met while in Venezuela. Should you require further information on Venezuela, international health insurance, or to receive a free quotation, please do not hesitate to call one of our expert advisers now. |
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