Democratic Republic of Congo Health Insurance

Located in central Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (commonly called DRC) is a massive country about a third the size of the continental United States. Bordering nine other countries along with a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean it boasts what some experts say is the largest amount of biodiversity in the world. Tropical rain forests, savannas, glacier-topped mountains, and vast river deltas and within its borders with five world heritage sites for natural flora and fauna, some of which are extremely endangered. Furthermore, the DRC holds enormous caches of precious metals and gems and numerous valuable raw materials including about 80 percent of the world's accessible cobalt, a crucial element for production of many industrial and technology products. Most agree that it is potentially the wealthiest country in the world based on raw materials, but sadly rather than grow economically the country is in a slow and steady downward spiral as a result of decades of civil war, tribal violence, and international meddling. Foreign trade and investment is very weak for the country, and a long history of extreme governmental corruption has left it with almost no capitol to take care of its population of about 70 million. Education, social services, and healthcare have been long overlooked and the living conditions of nearly everyone in the country reflect this, with annual per capita income of about US$300, it is the poorest nation on Earth. Constant fighting has left the country's infrastructure in a shambles. Words alone fail to describe the atrocities of war that this land and its people have experienced. The future of the DRC is bleak indeed.

The Democratic Republic of Congo Healthcare System and Medical Insurance

Despite signing of peace treaties in 2003 to officially end the Second Congo War, fighting continues in the northern and eastern portions of the country. The estimated death toll continues to rise by what some experts project to be up to 45,000 persons per month, largely due to preventable diseases such as malaria, measles, typhoid, diarrhea, and pneumonia as well as malnutrition which affects two thirds of the population due to isolation from the outside world.

The numbers of people in need of medical attention in the last 15 years due to fighting has completely inundated the already extremely fragile health care network in the DRC. Most severely injured have no hope of survival as help is simply not available on the battlefield. It is not much better even if near one of the very few hospitals or clinics. The doctor to patient ratio in the DRC is 7 per 100,000. This is the lowest figure in the world. Help from organizations including Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, USAid, and others is greatly appreciated but amounts to a drop in the bucket when compared to the need that still exists.

Two of the largest hospitals, Kinshasa General Hospital located in the nation's capitol and Panzi Hospital in Bukavu both operate at maximum capacity at all times, but their efforts are stymied by a gross shortage of pharmaceuticals and supplies, not to mention funding. Other smaller hospitals such as Hospital Nganda and Sdarovia Hospital are found in some major cities, though the conditions of these hospitals fall well short of western standards and overcrowding means wait times that may last for days. Foreigners who have the unfortunate circumstance of needing hospitalization while in the DRC are always recommended emergency evacuation to South Africa or repatriation to their home country. India-based Air Ambulance Aviation offers this service for almost all areas of the DRC, though cost is high.

HIV/AIDS has a death grip on the country, with about 4.2 percent testing positive. As mentioned malaria is endemic in the country and accounts for about half a million deaths a year. Parasites and bacterial infections are the norm, and respiratory infections are a major killer. The DRC has the second highest instance of infant mortality in the world at 7.8 percent, and the death rate for infants under the age of five is 26 percent. Some good news come in the way of vaccination plans that are currently under way. Global Alliance for Vaccines is testing a new program for vaccination against pneumonococcal diseases around Kinshasa, which if successful they hope to distribute to further reaches of the country in an effort to reduce some bacterial disease deaths.

Other concerns are with the huge number of orphans due to violence and AIDS, and the very young average age of the population, only about 17 years, along with the low level of education. Adding further tax to the weak health care offering available, the population continues to grow very rapidly due to lack of contraception use.

Medical Insurance in the Democratic Republic of Congo

All Democratic Republic of Congo health insurance is private; there is no system of national health care in place. Some larger hospitals are in some insurance provider's networks, though it should be mentioned that payment is always expected in advance of treatment. Anyone wishing to use private medical insurance should make sure well in advance that it will be honored. Otherwise, all payments are in cash, and foreigners and expats are usually charged a much higher price than locals.

As stated previously, the level of care available is critically lacking, thus most will seek care outside the country whenever possible. Due to the sheer size of the DRC, air travel is usually the only option, an emergency air-evacuation policy is a wise investment. Most find it convenient to purchase comprehensive coverage which includes international medical insurance and air ambulance services which are honored around the world and go everywhere they go.

Congo Travel Insurance Information

Risks to personal health and safety when traveling to the DRC cannot be understated. Corruption, violence, rape, crime, and disease are rampant. Large areas of the country remain lawless, police forces practically do not exist. The Congo region of Africa is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world to travel, especially for women. Anyone considering visiting the DRC and its surroundings should weigh the possible consequences heavily.

French is widely spoken, along with over 240 other local languages, though most other European languages including English are not common. Transportation is very difficult and dangerous, as most roads are unpaved and heavily rutted. The most common ground-based travel is by river boat, though it is slow and unreliable. Direct flights to the DRC from Europe are not permitted, as DRC flights are banned from European Union airspace due to lack of safety regulations. Most flying in will need to land in an nearby country and then take a commuter flight to the DRC. All foreign nationals must apply for a visa prior to arrival in the DRC, visa requirements is available from your DRC consular office.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following vaccines for anyone going to the DRC – all routine vaccinations along with hepatitis A and B, polio, rabies, typhoid, and yellow fever. It also suggests bringing medication for malaria, any required prescription drugs, and anti-diarrheal medicines. Access to clean drinking water and sanitary sewer is very scarce, only drink bottled water and practice extreme personal hygiene to avoid illness.

Congo Expat Medical Insurance

Risks associated with travel abroad can be reduced through good planning. A comprehensive Democratic Republic of Congo Medical Insurance plan or an International Traveler's Health Insurance package should be at the top of the shopping list for anyone planning to visit the DRC. Expat Medical Insurance will help you find peace of mind by offering free consultation to assist you in purchasing the right coverage to fit your needs, no matter where you travel.