Jordan Expat Health Insurance
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, commonly referred to as Jordan, is located on the east bank of the River Jordan. It shares its borders with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, the West Bank and Israel. Approximately half of the country is covered by the Arabian Desert, the rest contains land useful for agricultural purposes and vast swathes of forested areas. Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with a King and Queen. It gained independence in 1946. The capital city is Amman.
Jordan contains one of the Seven Wonders of the World, an archaeological site at Petra which is a magical ancient city. The country is also home to many ruins, desert palaces, mosques, tombs and castles which attract many tourists each year. Visitors are also attracted to the Dead Sea and Jordan’s bustling nightlife which includes nightclubs, shisha lounges and late night eateries. The official languages are English, French, Circassian, Chechen and Turkish. The population of Jordan is approximately 6.5 million.
Jordan has a Mediterranean style climate with cool wet winters and semi dry summers. It snows in the capital city Amman during winter which is from November to March. The country also experiences strong winds during the month before summer which bring large dust clouds.
The country is an upper middle income economy with high human development. It has close relations with the United States and United Kingdom and many free trade agreements with other nations. Jordan has very little natural resources; however, its modern banking sector is becoming an investment destination of choice. Jordan weathered the global financial crisis by having conservative bank policies which has attracted investors. Tourism, real estate and construction also contribute to Jordan’s growing economy.
Human rights in Jordan are of concern as it is ranked 141 out of 196 countries. Areas of concern include infringement of privacy, discrimination and harassment of women and minority religions, limited freedoms of speech and many more. In late 2010 approximately 11.9 percent of Jordan’s workforce was unemployed and approximately 13.3 percent of the population were living below the poverty line. Many recent University graduates head to the oil rich Gulf as the wages are greater and the cost of living is lower. They send the money they earn abroad back home to their relatives.
Jordan Health Care and Insurance
Jordan has a very advanced health care system with most facilities being located in the capital city of Amman. Travellers may have difficulty finding good medical facilities outside of the capital city. International health organisations estimate that approximately 9.3 percent of the country’s GDP is spent on health care. Jordan has both public and private medical facilities, some of which are run by the military.
Jordan’s Ministry of Health (MoH) is responsible for the majority of the public medical facilities. The MoH is responsible for public health, quality standard setting, medical education and training in Jordan. There is little regulation over the private medical facilities in Jordan.
The MoH runs approximately 1,245 primary health care centres and 27 hospitals in Jordan. The Royal Medical Services which is operated by the military run 11 hospitals and the Jordan University also has a hospital. There are approximately 56 private hospitals in Jordan, the biggest of which is Jordan Hospital. Four of the private medical facilities have gained accreditation from the Joint Commission International, a United States based agency which marks the gold standard for medical care internationally.
Approximately 50 percent of outpatient visits (Doctors visits etc) in Jordan take place MoH facilities. 40 percent take place in the private medical facilities, while the remaining 10 percent are divided between royal medical services and university hospitals. In 2009 approximately 86 percent of Jordan’s population had private medical insurance, one of the highest rates in the world.
Jordan is the number one health care services provider in the Middle East and one of the top five in the world, as ranked by the World Bank. Medical tourism is a big earner for Jordan attracting patients from Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, the United States and Egypt. In 2008 the World Bank estimated that Jordan earned almost US$1 billion dollars from overseas patients seeking medical treatment. The country is home to one of the best cancer treatment medical facilities in the world, the King Hussein Cancer Center.
The cost of medical care in Jordan is low compared to developed countries but high compared with other developing countries. Most of Jordan’s Doctors speak English and were either trained in, or are affiliated with, the United States. To put it into perspective, healthcare in Jordan costs approximately 10 percent of the cost in the United States and less than 1/3 of the cost in the United Kingdom. Most overseas visitors visit Jordan seeking plastic surgery, orthopaedic surgery and in-vitro fertilisation treatment.
The pharmacies in Jordan are well stocked however it is advisable for travellers to bring supplies of required medications with them when visiting. Visitors should always check the expiry date of medications purchased in Jordan as they may have expired.
If you require medical assistance while travelling in Jordan, many expatriates visit Al Khalidi Medical Center (telephone: 962 6 464 4281) a private hospital in Amman which offers a 24 hour emergency service. This hospital is part of an international network affiliated with the United States. The University of Jordan Hospital is also of a good standard and deals with more complicated conditions (telephone: 962 6 535 3444). Many medical facilities will require payment in cash for their services. Serious medical conditions may require evacuation by air ambulance. The cost of medical evacuation is very expensive, for peace of mind travellers should take out travel insurance that covers it.
Jordan Travel Insurance Concerns
Jordan is free from malaria however tuberculosis remains an area of concern. It is recommended that travellers to Jordan have vaccinations against diphtheria and tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), polio and typhoid.
Travellers should be aware that ambulance services in Jordan are typically slow to respond and the staff have only basic training. Travellers who suffer from asthma or sinus problems should avoid travelling to Jordan during the dust storms as the dust may aggravate such conditions.
The country has one of the highest standards of living in the developing world with safe drinking water and electricity available to 99 percent of the population. Jordan is a clean country with a low crime rate. It has been ranked one of the top 10 countries in the world for security. However since mid 2011 demonstrations have been occurring in Jordan, particularly in the capital city. A few of these have turned violent. Tourists should avoid large gatherings when travelling in Jordan. Al Qaida in Iraq has been known to carry out attacks on United States citizens in Jordan, particularly following the death of Osama bin Laden. Visitors should ensure that they have health insurance for Jordan in the event of an emergency.
Pick pocketing and bag snatching does occur in Jordan, particularly in the crowded narrow streets in the older parts of the capital city Amman. Travellers should take care with their belongings and be vigilant when leaving ATM machines as they may be targets of theft. Women travellers have in the past been subject to verbal sexual harassment and stalking in Jordan. Female travellers should dress modestly and not travel alone at night.
Visitors should be aware that Jordan is surprisingly not a cheap country as it was ranked the most expensive Arab country to live in and the 19th most expensive country in the world to live in 2010. However there are affordable eateries and accommodation options available.
Jordan Expat Health Insurance
To ensure that you and your family have access to the highest quality medical facilities when travelling in Jordan we recommend that you purchase expatriate medical insurance. At Global Health Insurance we are specialised in providing customers with medical insurance plans that meet their needs. We work with many of the world’s top international health insurers and can provide you with free Jordan Expat Health Insurance advice and quotations. Contact us today to ensure you have peace of mind that you will be covered for medical expenses while you are travelling in Jordan.
Recent Questions / Comments:
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| do you have any insurance plan for Ivf treatment? Like if the first attempt is not successful then is there any plan to cover the next attempt? | |
