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Egypt Expat Health Insurance

The Arab Republic of Egypt is located in North Africa, bordering Libya, Sudan, Israel (and the Gaza Strip), as well as the Mediterranean Sea. The country’s long history has captivated historians and archaeologists for centuries. Today, the Nile River, the Pyramids at Giza and the Red Sea attract thousands of tourists from around the world every day. As the largest and most diversified economy in North Africa, Egypt boasts per capita GDP of US$2,789 with agriculture, media, petroleum exports and tourism as the most important sectors.

Egypt Healthcare System

Life expectancy in Egypt is slightly lower than developed country norms – 69 years for males and 73 years for females. Total annual health care expenditure per capita is US$282, slightly below the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region average. Egypt’s health care workforce is adequately staffed overall. There are 28.3 doctors, and 35.2 nurses and midwives, per 10,000 Egyptians, compared with regional averages of 11.0 doctors and 15.4 nurses and midwives. However, there are serious concerns about the quality of health care education and equipment in training Egypt’s doctors and nurses.

Public health infrastructure investment has paid real dividends in Egypt, particularly in rural areas. Currently, the population enjoys nearly universal access to improved drinking water sources; less than 90 percent of rural Egyptians had access to clean drinking water in the 1980’s. Even greater gains have been made in the provision of public sanitation facilities, especially in rural areas. In 1990 less than two thirds of rural Egyptians had access to improved sanitation facilities. Now the provision of these services is nearly universal; this has had a clear positive effect on overall public health in Egypt.

Communicable diseases are not very prevalent in Egypt. Only 1 in every 1,000 Egyptian adults is infected with HIV, which is only one eighth of the global average. There are 30 cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 Egyptians, compared with a global mean of 201.

Maternal mortality occurs far less frequently in Egypt than compared with regional and global averages; there are 82 fatalities per 100,000 live births in Egypt, compared with 320 in the Eastern Mediterranean and 260 globally. Part of this can be attributed to Egyptian antenatal, birth and infant health care which far exceed regional norms. For example, 79 percent of Egyptian births are attended by skilled health personnel, compared with 58 percent in the region. Among the wealthiest quintile of Egyptians, there is near universal access to skilled health care providers at birth.

The WHO has released a series of health bulletins alerting the populace of health concerns; in Egypt these were exclusively warnings regarding the potential spread of avian flu. The alerts were largely successful in averting further spread of the epidemic. Furthermore, the WHO has set up a number of collaborative research centres in Egypt, with centres focused on research in schistosomiasis, AIDS, infectious diseases and mental health research in Cairo, and a centre for research and development in medical education and health services at Suez Canal University in Ismalia.

As a developing country, Egypt’s health care system is dependent on multilateral aid, especially in reaching rural and traditionally underserved parts of the population. The WHO has drafted a Country Cooperation Strategy with Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population with the aim of producing a roadmap for strengthening the country’s health care system. The Egyptian constitution includes a pledge to provide health care for all citizens, which is financed by the Egyptian Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), which is another government ministry. Egypt has done a commendable job to date of providing “rural health units” to serve harder to reach portions of the population.

Egypt’s public health care system mostly serves the low-income population. Most wealthy Egyptians and expatriates opt for private care, which is very competitive and hence the quality of care is rated very highly. Fees in private clinics can be very expensive, especially when care is not covered by an international health insurance plan. In any case, most private health care expenditure comes from out-of-pocket spending.

For foreigners visiting or relocating to Egypt, there may be a number of possible health risks. Egypt can be prone to natural disasters, especially flooding in the Nile Delta region. Political unrest is also increasingly common, and uncertainty prevails following the collapse of the Mubarrak regime.

Before travelling to Egypt, updating routine immunisations is highly recommended. Those planning to visit rural areas may consider rabies jabs, too. Thanks to its dry climate, malaria is virtually unknown in Egypt, but there are a number of insect borne diseases such as dengue, filariasis and leishmaniasis. As mentioned above, there have been a number of avian flu outbreaks, so handling live poultry and wild birds is not advised.

As with any travel destination, the most common health problems for visitors and expatriates are gastrointestinal problems and road accidents. Avoiding raw and undercooked foods and drinking only bottled water is strongly suggested. Egyptian traffic drives on the right and can be very congested in urban areas. Obey the rules of the road and never drink alcohol and drive.

Egypt Expat Health Insurance

Egypt has very much to offer the tourist, visitor, business traveller or amateur historian, but as a developing country, it is a risky place if one becomes injured or ill. Private clinics may approximate developed country standards, but these are generally only found in urban areas and are quite expensive. Serious emergencies may require medical evacuation to the closest center of medical excellence, which can cost more than US$100,000 from Egypt. Expat health insurance can provide cover for treatment in private clinics as well as covering those rare emergencies when emergency medical evacuation is necessary.

To provide peace of mind during potentially catastrophic health situations, an international health care plan is strongly recommended while abroad or in Egypt. Expat health insurance plans come in with myriad options available, however the experienced team of advisors at Global Health International can guide you to the ideal plan for you, your family, your company or your tour group. Our representatives are available 24 hours per day. Please contact a Global Health Insurance representative today to take care of your international health insurance needs.