Cote d'Ivoire Health Insurance

The Republic of Cote d’lvoire, which is also known as the “Ivory Coast” in English, is located in West Africa and is home to an estimated 21.5 million people. The country shares its borders with Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana. The country gained independence from France in 1960. French still remains the official language. Approximately 60 other local dialects are also spoken.

Cote d’lvoire is divided into 19 regions which are governed by a President. The biggest city is Abidjan which is the commercial and banking centre of the country and full of skyscrapers. The capital city is Yamoussoukro which is the fourth most populated city in Cote d’lvoire and is famous for its stunning replica of St Peter’s basilica in Rome. The country was at peace following a military coup in 1999 and a civil war in 2002. However a second civil war broke out following the presidential election in 2011, killing hundreds of people. The new President assumed his role in April 2011, ending the political unrest. However military residence and fighting is still continuing in the southwest of the country.

Cote d’Ivoire is a developing country with approximately 42 percent of the population living below the international poverty line. The life expectancy rate is also low, 49 years for men and 52 for women, as is the median age of the population of 19 years. Literacy levels are low, particularly among women as most of the pupils in secondary school are males.

The country’s economy relies on agriculture with many small cash crops of coffee and cocoa. The agricultural industry employs approximately 68 percent of Cote d’Ivoire’s population. The country is the world’s largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans. Recently prices have been failing and competition growing which has made life difficult for the cocoa growers and exporters. Cote d’Ivoire has a reasonably high income per capita as it receives goods transiting to nearby landlocked countries. The country’s natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, gold, nickel, clay, palm oil and copper.

The climate in Cote d’Ivoire is tropical along the coastline and dry in the far north. The country has three seasons, warm and dry from November to March, hot and dry from March to May and hot and wet from June to October. The terrain is mainly flat with some mountains in the northwest of the country. Only 10 percent of the land is arable and is prone to flooding in the rainy season.

Cote d'Ivoire Health Care and Insurance

The larger city of Abidjan has adequate privately run medical facilities. These facilities have good Doctors however the majority of them do not speak English. The medical facilities outside of Abidjan are extremely limited. For more complicated medical problems, travellers may need to be evacuated to a nearby city with better medical facilities. We recommend that travellers purchase medical insurance for Cote d’Ivoire that will cover the cost of emergency medical evacuation as it can be very expensive.

The new President Alassane Ouattara announced when he took power in April 2011 that public health care services were to be free until the end of May 2011. The announcement followed a period of turmoil in the lives of the countries people. On 8 June 2011 it was further announcement that free health care would continue until further notice. Previously the country had health user fees. In 2009 only 5.1 percent of GDP was spent on health care.

It has been reported by the country’s Doctors that patient numbers have increased by 20 – 30 percent which shows that the costs of health care was preventing people from seeing Doctors. Better infrastructure, more medical professionals, greater supplies, medications and a total reform of the health care system is needed if free health care is to remain in place in the country. Many facilities are not coping with the increased number of patients and medical supplies are running low. Prescription medications are currently not included in the free offer of healthcare and many locals are struggling to pay for the cost of the medication that has been prescribed to them.

Pharmacies in the country are well stocked. However many do not carry newer medications. Travellers should ensure that they bring sufficient quantities of medications with them to Cote d’Ivoire to ensure that they do not run out.

Abidjan and the larger cities have an ambulance service available which can be contacted on 185 or 22 44 55 53, although the service is not very reliable. The smaller towns do not have ambulance services but an ambulance may be dispatched from a nearby larger town.

If you require medical care when travelling in Cote d’Ivoire the following facilities are recommended, Polyclinique International Ste. Anne-Marie (PISAM) which has a 24 hour emergency room (telephone: 22 44 51 32), Les Bleuets Clinique for paediatrics (telephone: 22 41 72 08) or Polyclinique Internationale de Le Indenie (telephone: 20 21 53 53).

Cote d'Ivoire Travel Insurance Concerns

The level of crime in Cote d’Ivoire poses a threat to tourists. Grab and run theft and pick pocketing is widespread particularly in crowded areas. Robberies of businesses, armed car jackings and home invasions of those who appear to be wealthy also occur frequently. Travellers should be avoid travelling anywhere at night, should keep their car doors locked and their homes/accommodation.

Visitors who are the subject of theft or carjacking should not resist the thief as force is often used. Travellers should not display wealth such as jewellery and cameras when in public as doing so may place them at risk. Police and security force harassment is also common. Vehicle checkpoints are often set up to check vehicles and extort money. Visitors should cooperate when stopped, but should also refuse to pay any bribes.

The emergency telephone number in Cote d’Ivoire is 111. Other contact telephone numbers are Abidjan Prefecture of Police (225 20 21 00 22), Police headquarters (225 20 22 08 22), Ministry of Security (225 20 22 19 50) and the Policy Emergency number (225 31 63 35 36).

Approximately 3.4 percent of the country, or 450,000 people, are living with HIV/Aids. Travellers to Cote d’lvoire are at risk of contracting African trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis (from fresh water) and rabies. Travellers should ensure that their childhood vaccinations are up to date including measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus and polio. They should also be vaccinated against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, meningococcal meningitis (if visiting between December and June) and rabies (if spending a lot of time outdoors).

Malaria is a serious problem in Cote d’Ivoire so visitors should ensure that they take anti malarial tablets before and after their visit. The Center for Disease Control advises that the drug Chloroquine is not effective against malaria in Cote d’Ivoire and should not be taken. In January 2011 the country had an outbreak of yellow fever. All visitors to Cote d’Ivoire must have a vaccination against yellow fever and provide evidence of it upon entry into the country. Visitors should protect themselves from insect bites by wearing long pants and tops, sleeping with mosquito nets over their beds and use an insect repellent that contains DEET.

Visitors should be wary of people approaching them when they enter the country to expedite passport control and customs and then asking for a large fee. Police and customs officers do not need to be paid. Travellers who purchase art and want to take it out of the country must obtain an exit permit from the National Museum. Visitors should exchange money at reputable places and not on the black market as there is a lot of counterfeit money in Cote d’Ivoire.

Taking photographs is banned in certain areas of the country including military sites, Government buildings (including the radio and television stations), the Presidency building, the airport and two bridges in Abidjan.

Travellers should avoid visiting the southwest of the country which is still experiencing military residence and fighting following the 2010/2011 election. Travellers should be aware of their surroundings, avoid crowds and demonstrations and watch media coverage of any events unfolding which may pose a risk to their safety. Visitors should take care when swimming in the ocean as the currents are very strong. Swimming in coastal waters is discouraged as it is dangerous even for strong swimmers.

Cote d'Ivoire Expat Health Insurance

If you choose to travel to Cote d’Ivoire we recommend that you purchase a medical insurance policy that covers emergency medical evacuation. The medical facilities in the country are limited outside of Abidjan and are experiencing great shortages. At Expat Medical Insurance we can assist you with selecting a medical insurance package that meets you needs and includes such benefits as specialist visits, Doctors visits, hospitalisation, maternity care and emergency medical evacuation. Please contact us today for a no obligation free international medical insurance quotation from the world’s leading medical insurance providers.