Guinea Health Insurance

The Republic of Guinea is located on the west coast of Africa, adjacent to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal. The population of Guinea is approximately 10.6 million people, with 24 distinct ethnic groups present in the country.

A French colony until 1958, Guinea has suffered from considerable political instability since its independence. Numerous military interventions and coup d'état’s have prevented the country from making much progress or development. An attempted attack on current President Alpha Condé in July 2011 highlights the ongoing battle for power and control. Despite having abundant natural resources such as bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron ore and uranium, Guinea is recognized as being one of the poorest countries in the world and it ranks a poor 157th out of 175 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index.

Economic reforms aimed at reducing government involvement in the mining industry have yet to be implemented while ongoing political instability, corruption and inefficiency have affected foreign direct investment and provided more obstacles to achieving strong economic growth.

Guinea Health Care and Insurance

Health facilities in Guinea, including those in the capital city Conakry and particularly those in rural areas, are extremely basic. There is very little difference between services and treatments available at both public and private health facilities and both are extremely limited in the treatment options they are capable of providing. There is no national health insurance scheme in operation in Guinea and there are insufficient funds available to develop and maintain an effective health care system. Expatriates, travelers and other short term visitors must be aware that should they require medical attention, cash payments are required before treatment will be received. Purchasing comprehensive international Guinea health insurance is therefore strongly advised.

The majority of public health facilities are health stations and centers with a small number of regional and national hospitals. Overall, government run facilities lack modern equipment, fully trained and adequate numbers of personnel and sufficient quantities of medicines. Electricity shortages regularly disrupt services and some medical staff have been known to request gratuitous payments in addition to treatment charges before health care will be provided. Non-governmental organizations such as Medicines San Frontier (MSF) operate small health posts and clinics which can provide a more reliable diagnosis for general illnesses, although these facilities are also limited in the treatments they can offer.

Private sector health facilities include one person dentist and doctor practices and some larger clinics. The Clinique Pasteur and the Clinique Ambroise Paré, both located in Conakry, offer some of the best health care services available throughout Guinea. These services include some basic and minor surgeries, emergency services and general consultations. Both clinics offer reliable advice and treatment and expatriates and travelers are advised to use either facility should they require medical treatment. Medical costs for using these facilities will be higher than costs for similar treatment at public facilities; therefore purchasing an international Guinea health insurance policy will help protect against high medical costs.

An estimated 6 percent of GDP is allocated each year by the government towards health care. The World Health Organization estimates that 10 percent of GDP is consistently required to deliver adequate health services. This underfunding and its results can be seen in various health indicators. The infant mortality rate is 61 deaths per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth is low at 57 years for males and 59 years for females. 30 percent of the population has no access to clean and safe drinking water. HIV/AIDS afflicts approximately 2 percent of the population and there is a very high risk of contracting a major infectious disease. 20 percent of children under the age of five years are thought to be underweight and undernourished.

Guinea Travel Insurance Concerns

A combination of poor sanitation levels, inadequate health facilities and its location in the tropics has ensured that a number of diseases and illnesses are prevalent throughout Guinea. All expatriates and other short term visitors to the country are advised to seek advice from a travel health specialist at least four weeks prior to arrival. Diseases such as Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Polio, Yellow Fever, Meningitis and Rabies are all endemic to the region and as such vaccinations against each are recommended. Incidents and outbreaks of diseases transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes such as Malaria and Dengue fever are common and precautions against insect bites should be adopted. Using insect repellant, anti-malarial drugs and bed nets will help reduce the risk of contracting these diseases. The most common illness among visitors is traveler’s diarrhea. Prescription medicine for diarrhea may not be available in Guinea and should therefore be bought in your home country before departure.

Political violence marred the Presidential election which was held in 2010. The failed coup in 2011 serves as a reminder to the ongoing ethnic and political tensions between the supporters of both candidates and while the situation has now calmed somewhat, the potential for violence remains high. Members of the security forces, including men dressed in military uniform, regularly stop foreign nationals to request photographic identification. These situations are generally seen as a ruse to try and extort money or other forms of bribes. Corruption is widespread and many public sector workers will request a cash payment prior to information or services being rendered. Crime levels are high, particularly in Conakry and these include armed robbery, assault, general street crime, carjacking and petty theft. There are no emergency services in Guinea and expatriates and tourists seeking assistance must make their own way to the nearest police station.

Guinea Expat Health Insurance

Guinea is a poor and developing country with inadequate health facilities. Public and private sector clinics and hospitals are only capable of providing basic treatments and some minor surgeries. In the event of a serious accident or illness, emergency air evacuation to a country with state of the art health care is required. Expatriates and short term visitors to Guinea are advised to invest in a comprehensive health insurance policy which will protect them should they require medical assistance. Expat Medical Insurance can help you choose which particular product or policy meets your particular needs. For more information on Guinea health insurance, global health insurance or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our advisors today.