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Ethiopia Expat Health Insurance

Located on the horn of Africa, and surrounded clockwise from the north by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, and Sudan, Ethiopia lies wholly within the tropic of Cancer. Ethiopia's climate is not typical of its tropical location, with cool average temperatures and limited rainfall making for frequent droughts with disastrous results for its largely agricultural based society, the summer drought of 2011 is expected to be the worst one faced by east Africa in 60 years. One of the oldest countries in the world, sadly it is also one of the poorest with over 80 percent of the population surviving on less than a dollar a day. With a reasonably stable government in recent decades, their focus should be on improving the standard of living for its approximately 90 million residents, yet historically slow government spending and a culture of providing little care on a federal level has kept Ethiopia disparately poor and frequently on the brink of starvation. The United Nations Development Programme's 2010 Human Development Index ranked Ethiopia 157 out of 169 countries polled.

Ethiopia Medical Insurance and the Healthcare System

No national health plan is in place as of 2011; however, since 1993 a total of four national health initiatives have been postured. The most recent, the 2005 document entitled Health Sector Development -III outlined a more thorough plan of decentralized medical infrastructure relying more heavily on non-government organizations to provide basic health care for Ethiopians. To date, limited success has been achieved, but the number of hospitals, clinics, and health stations has increased in the last 10 years and with a slowed population growth, the ratio of hospitals and doctors to patients is getting more favorable. There are currently almost 150 hospitals in the country, both private and public, serving on average a population of 600,000 each. Medical availability ratios in Ethiopia are some of the worst on Earth. As a result, hospitals are overcrowded and staff overworked, and long waits for patients needing care are common. Only the fact that most Ethiopians cannot afford traditional medicine keeps them away. As a result, traditional healers are still very popular, though their “healing” is suspect at best, and some methods are proven to be very dangerous.

Conditions in the hospitals are often poor to say the least, with very little domestic funding, Ethiopians rely very heavily on financial aid from the United Nations and its member countries as well as numerous support organizations from around the world. With no entity solely liable for ensuring the continuous supply of medicines, pharmaceuticals in Ethiopia are sometimes in short supply, especially in rural areas. The government of India has taken a longterm interest in improving the health care of many developing African nations and is sponsoring, free of charge for the first five years, a program to provide live medical assistance and doctor consultation via high-speed Internet connections. Already in use in a few hospitals in Ethiopia, the plan will eventually include 20 hospitals in the Ethiopian network as well as 26 other African nations and hopes to provide more accurate and faster diagnosis of disease.

Much medical training is provided from foreign volunteer doctors and nurses, as the local training is often insufficient. While most facilities can handle basic medical needs, more specialized procedures will usually require treatment in the capital city, Addis Abada, or outside of Ethiopia all together. Sadly, despite some progress in the very recent past, the World Bank has stated that without a full commitment by the government and the largest influx of foreign cash to any country for a single year in history towards medical care, there is no chance that Ethiopia's health care standard will be brought up to levels of the developed world anytime soon.

Ethiopia Health Insurance Concerns

Currently there is no government sponsored Ethiopian medical insurance program, thus leaving the country’s residents to fend for themselves financially when receiving healthcare. As of a 2010 press release, the Council of Ministers has approved a draft proposing a socialized medical insurance program for Ethiopia presented by the Ministry of Health. The proposed system would be broken into two sectors, one for social health insurance that will be compulsory for all tax paying workers and another called community based health insurance to provide for non-registered taxpayers such as farmers and the unemployed. While details are still limited, the draft claims equal treatment for all, regardless of income and contribution, and will require a 10 percent co-pay on behalf of the patient to avoid abuse of the system. Plans for the scheme have also disclosed that non-essential procedures, such as plastic surgery, will not be covered. Dental care and dialysis will also be excluded. Many are hopeful in the system, but skeptics abound. Time will tell how successful the system proves to be, if and when it is ever actually implemented.

To date, Ethiopian medical insurance has been the domain of private providers and any who desire coverage are required to pay insurance premiums in exchange for coverage. This system will continue to exist at least for traveler's and expatriates living in Ethiopia as the proposed system does not outline coverage for non-citizens at this time. The Ethiopian health insurance industry will doubtless under go some changes if the government funded system goes into effect, therefore it is wise to know the coverage available to you currently and what you will qualify for after its initialization, as future legislature may limit some policy's offerings.

Ethiopia Travel Health Insurance Information

The crime rate is reasonably low, mainly consisting of pick-pocketing and petty theft, more alarmingly is that the wave of terrorism covering much of sub-Saharan Africa has now taken hold in Ethiopia. Terrorist attacks have been largely indiscriminate, primarily targeting large public gathering areas which tend to be popular for tourists and locals alike. It is wise to consult your government's travel office or their website for areas that should be avoided and what additional precautions need to be taken.

The border of Ethiopian and Eritrea is still closed to all travelers due to longstanding political tensions. It is generally held that all travelers should take out comprehensive Ethiopian medical insurance which provides coverage for their entire stay. Air ambulance insurance is also suggested in case one should require evacuation to a more suitable facility or repatriation to their home country for treatment. Common diseases include malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, intestinal parasites, tuberculosis, and skin diseases and infections. Approximately 4% of the population are AIDS/HIV positive. The Centers for Disease Control recommends all visitors to Ethiopia receive vaccination for common childhood diseases, malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, hepatitis A and B, polio, typhoid, meningitis, and rabies.

Almost all mosquito transmitted diseases are common in Ethiopia and nets should be used when sleeping and repellent should be worn during the day. Swimming in all bodies of fresh water except strongly chlorinated swimming pools should be avoided as parasitic schistosomiasis is common. Tap water and ice should be avoided unless boiled, chemically treated, or filtered. Bottled water should only be drank if the original seal is in place.

Ethiopia Expat Health Insurance

Despite some inherent risks, the growing economy, dramatic scenery, unique culture, and ancient sites draw many to Ethiopia. However, it is best to be prepared for unexpected emergencies, so it is highly recommended that you take out insurance which provides cover for emergency medical evacuations while in Ethiopia. Expat health insurance can ensure you have adequate coverage in such emergency situations as well as when you just have a routine trip to the doctor.

Global Health Insurance has Ethiopian expat health insurance packages to provide the peace of mind that you require when traveling or moving abroad. Global Health Insurance has expert agents who, free of charge, will help you go through the process of selecting coverage for you, your family, or your travel group easier. Regardless of budget constraints, length of stay, number of destinations, or group size, coverage is available to put you at ease, come what may.