Albania Health Insurance

One of the most culturally homogeneous countries on the globe, Albania is home to a populace of 3.2 million (UN, 2010) the majority of which are rural dwelling, and legendary for being delightfully welcoming to visitors. Albania is a small country which lies to the southwest of the Balkan Peninsula, along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea coasts. Unique cultural and historical experiences await tourists in a wonderful landscape of forests, alpine peaks, pastures, lakes, unspoilt coastline and rural villages. The capital, Tirana is the heart of the cultural, political and economic landscape and boasts many examples of architecture from the early 19th century. Since the fall of the communist regime in 1991, urbanization has increased markedly, and Tirana is now the country’s most populated city. Greek, Romani and Slavic dialects are spoken by many, even though the official language is Albanian. In contrast to western norms, nodding one’s head in Albania indicates a negative response, while shaking the head from side-to-side is synonymous with a ‘yes’ which has seemingly led to some comical exchanges with visitors who are unaware of the custom.

Albania Health Care and Insurance

By European standards, Albania is a poor country and one of the least developed countries within the European Union. Poverty still affects the newly urbanized and a large percentage of rural dwellers, limiting their access to basic services. The Albanian government funds the majority of healthcare for its citizens through its Ministry of Health (MOH). Three levels of health care; primary, secondary and tertiary are available via public hospitals (41), district hospitals (22), regional hospitals (11), and university hospitals (4). Polyclinics, health units, hygiene centers and emergency rooms also operate.

In its overview of the health care system, the MOH asserts that there are 1.4 hospitals, 291 beds, 51 general practitioners, 406 nurses and 33 dentists for every 100,000 people. The Government controls the pharmaceutical sector, issuing licenses approving pharmacies to dispense and monitors the sector rigorously through the MOH. The Government subsidizes some basic drugs and others are available by prescription or over the counter at pharmacies. A private sector operates within Albania, which is considered well funded and offers high-tech and diagnostic health services. Given the costs associated with treatment through a private clinic however, access is limited to those who have the money to meet such expenses or those who hold private insurance coverage. This highlights the need for travelers to purchase Albania health insurance to guarantee access to medical care in the event of injury or illness while in the country.

By EU standards, infant mortality in Albania remains high; however, there has been on a steady decline over the last decade. Reflective of the gap between urban and rural Albanian’s access to healthcare, are the significant differences of health outcomes between districts, where statistics show child mortality is less than 5 out of 1,000 in some, and other districts report mortality at 35 out of every 1,000. The Human Development Index, which is a standard measure of well-being, covering life expectancy, living standards and education, rates Albania 64th out of a total 170 UN member states. This formally distinguishes Albania as a developing country. Various external organizations have implemented projects in Albania to assist the Government in its efforts of health system reform, modernizing facilities, improving physical access and use of primary health services, and further developing governance of and management within the hospital sector. Quality care improvements and training in specific areas of health services are also a focus of reforms, which have resulted in enhanced infrastructure, more efficient use of resources and standardized treatment processes. While the quality of service delivery has improved as a result of consistent Government efforts and donor support, the health services still require significant development and improvements in comparison to western services.

This is especially true in the dental service sector, which reportedly experiences shortages of equipment and also struggles to deliver adequate dental care due to insufficiently trained staff. Likewise, emergency rooms are not sufficiently funded to respond adequately or provide the necessary level of care to trauma patients, resulting in expatriates being evacuated to neighboring Greece for specific care. Expenses associated with any type of medical evacuation are prohibitively expensive, and international medical insurance should be purchased to make certain that quality medical services are accessible when needed most.

Albania Travel Insurance Concerns

Albania’s disease profile has changed over the years, from a high prevalence of communicable diseases to pubic health concerns such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, along with external causes of death. Deaths from traffic accidents in Albania, compared to other countries in Europe, are some of the highest overall, and the World Health Organization reports that travellers have a greater chance of being killed through trauma or violence, than they are of dying from infectious disease. These risks are significant, particularly so in developing countries due to under-developed medical systems and the quality of available care. Road conditions, especially in rural Albania are poor and snow and ice during the winter months make driving the pot-holed roads particularly hazardous. Travel advisories confirm that driving in Albania is a risk, as the local style of driving is aggressive and road-users are sometimes armed, potentially resulting in the escalation of minor disputes. Comprehensive expat medical insurance should be organized before travelling to the country to cover unforeseen occurrences such as medial emergencies arising from traffic related accidents.

Also noted by advisories, is the risk to personal safety in the north eastern part of Albania, necessitating visitors take a responsible role in their own security. Elsewhere in the country, organized crime is an issue and it is prudent for travelers to avoid travel in remote places, especially at night and remain aware of the security situation. Political demonstrations have previously drawn thousands of Albanian’s, and one rally in Tirana in 2011 resulted in four protesters killed and many injured. Advisories recommend that large public gatherings be avoided. Public health concerns within Albania, such as Hepatitis A & B demonstrate that visitors should be well prepared for their trip, and arrange a consultation with a medical professional for necessary pre-exposure vaccinations to mitigate the risk of becoming ill while overseas, and arrange expat medical insurance in the event they do fall ill or are injured.

Albania Expat Health Insurance

While improvements in Albania’s health infrastructure have been made, there are limitations for dealing with specific health issues and providing adequate care for severe injury or serious illness. To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving good quality medical care, an insurance policy which is specific to your needs can be arranged through Expat Medical Insurance. We have globally transferable policies that cover you whenever and wherever you may travel, be it on your own or with family. Worldwide medical insurance policies provide cover for a range of healthcare needs, including emergency evacuation, specialist consultations and maternity services, along with doctors’ fees and medications. To guarantee access to medical care wherever you are in the world, whether it be Albania or Zimbabwe, contact one of our global medical insurance consultants to discuss our range of quality medical insurance plans.