Haiti Health Insurance

Located in the Caribbean, with a land area of 27,750 square kilometers, Haiti covers one third of the Island of Hispaniola; the remaining two thirds of the island being occupied by the Dominican Republic. Haiti’s terrain is mostly mountainous and it has a coastline of 1,771 kilometers. The capital, Port-Au-Prince, is located in central Haiti and has a population of 2.1million, around 22 percent of the country’s total population, which is currently estimated at around 9.7million. The official languages are French and Haitian Creole, and the currency is the Haitian gourde. The poorest nation in the Western world, political violence has been experienced throughout the country’s history, impeding improvements in infrastructure and stability. Haiti is affected by many natural hazards. From June to October the country is regularly hit by severe storms; Haiti is located in the middle of the Caribbean’s hurricane belt, and periodically experiences flooding, earthquakes and drought. In early 2010, a 7.0 earthquake struck the country, the worst to have hit the region in the last 200 years. It caused massive structural damage and had a disastrous effect on the country’s medical services. The Red Cross estimated that approximately 3 million people were affected by the earthquake and around 45,000-50,000 were killed. The earthquake left around 1 million people homeless, many of which are still living in tents.

Haiti Health Care and Insurance

The general health of the population of Haiti was extremely poor, even prior to the earthquake. Malnutrition has long been a problem and the World Food Program provided by the world’s largest humanitarian agency, has been working in Haiti addressing hunger by providing food to those unable to obtain it for themselves.

Approximately 19 percent of children under the age of five are underweight and around 138,000 children under the age of five die from preventable diseases each year. Only around half of all children born in Haiti are vaccinated. There are 54 deaths per 1,000 live births, and the life expectancy at birth is 62 years; the lowest in the region and reflective of the country’s systemic issues with regard to the health system and delivery of care to the populace. There is a lack of basic sanitation and clean water in Haiti and most homes are unsanitary. Some health care facilities are available in the capital; however these are basic and are not equipped to treat serious illnesses. Outside the capital, medical facilities are scarce with little equipment, and cannot deliver the level of care required for primary facilities. Visitors who find themselves seriously ill or injured will most likely require air evacuation, at the patient’s own expense, so any expatriate or traveler planning on visiting Haiti, should ensure that they have comprehensive international medical insurance that includes cover for such situations.

Fees are charged for all health care services in Haiti, which results in the poorer sections of society often being without medical treatment. For three months following the earthquake, all heath care was offered free of charge, which enabled those who could not usually afford such medical treatment access to medical personnel and medications. Since then, however, the health care service has undertaken action to return to its previous system of a fee paying service. This has left hospitals in a difficult position as many of those injured in the earthquake will not be able to receive follow up treatment due to being unable to afford such services. One of the premier hospitals in Haiti was forced to close as it was damaged in the earthquake and used its funds to offer free services, however could then not afford to rebuild its infrastructure. A crisis of a lack of health professionals is looming, as many overseas health professionals that relocated to Haiti on a voluntary basis to help earthquake victims, are leaving hospitals in protest for moving back to a fee service, resolute that many Haitians should not be charged for such care. This has further exasperated the already strained service resulting in a shortage of qualified medical professionals at many hospitals.

Following the earthquake, there was an outbreak of cholera in the Artibonite province of Haiti, which quickly spread to all ten provinces. Around 17,000 people have been treated and there have been over 1,000 deaths. Cholera kills quickly and is spread through contaminated food and water. In part, due to the cholera outbreak travel advisories recommend all but essential travel to Haiti, and advise that any person in Haiti that experiences diarrhea should seek out medical advice immediately. Those visiting Haiti will find that health care services are extremely limited. Prior to the earthquake, services were stretched and the standard of care was poor. The earthquake damaged the basic infrastructure and severely impacted the ability to provide any level of health care, highlighting the possible delay in receiving medical treatment if one requires it, and therefore the need for expatriate health insurance should a medical evacuation become necessary.

Haiti Health Insurance Concerns

Travel advisories recommend that only essential travel is undertaken to Haiti due to political instability, the limited infrastructure including lack of medical facilities and the cholera epidemic. Haiti’s political situation is fragile, and UN peacekeepers have been present in the country since 2004, working with the local police to maintain security. Demonstrations often take place in the capital, and any person visiting Haiti should avoid any place with large gatherings. If visitors find themselves in the middle of a large crowd, they should take steps to leave the area immediately. It is critically important that expatriates and travelers planning to visit Haiti consult with a travel health care professional to discuss immunizations and receive up-to-date travel advice. Haiti has many infectious diseases present; typhoid fever, hepatitis A and E, malaria, diphtheria, dengue fever and parasitic infections. In recent years there have also been a number of rabies cases reported around Port au Prince area, so it is important that travelers are aware of all the risks and receive the appropriate vaccinations and travel advice. Normal precautions should also be taken to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS of which approximately 1.9 percent of the adult population is infected. There is also an increasing concern around the infection levels of tuberculosis. All travelers should ensure that their routines vaccinations are up-to-date before departure, and that they have prearranged comprehensive travel insurance which includes cover for the cost of air evacuation.

Crime is a serious problem in Haiti. Following the earthquake there was severe disorder, and lootings and gun violence ensued. Over 5,000 violent prisoners escaped from the National Penitentiary, the majority of which are still at large. Over recent years there has been a sharp increase in the number of kidnappings, usually for financial gain, and there have been cases where the person kidnapped has been killed. If travelling in Haiti, caution should always be exercised and travel after dark avoided. Many embassies forbid staff from travelling after the hours of darkness, and in areas outside Port au Prince, as this limits their ability to provide consular assistance. It should also be noted that the majority of Haitians carry guns. Haiti is the main point for drug transits into the USA and is favored by Colombian drug traffickers. These drug activities have a negative impact on society and increase the overall level of crime. The ability of the police to protect the members of society has been limited following the earthquake. Understaffing was an issue prior to the earthquake, however many officers lost their lives and police stations were damaged. There are often complaints that the police are corrupt and involved in criminal activity.

The road network was damaged during the earthquake, and despite most of the rubble having now been cleared, some roads are still impassable. It is not advisable to drive in Haiti, and although people should drive on the right side of the road, drivers often use whichever side is open to them. Fuel is often in short supply. As Haiti is subject to severe weather patterns, visitors should monitor local and foreign weather reports and follow any advice provided by authorities. Visitors should also obtain comprehensive Haiti health insurance prior to arrival in the country, to cover the cost of treatment for illnesses or injuries.

Haiti Expat Health Insurance

Haiti’s health care system is extremely limited, and basic facilitates are poor. Travel advisories recommend only essential travel to the country. The health care services available are in no way comparable to Western standards and many infectious diseases are present. The recent cholera outbreak has further strained an already weak health care system. If there is an emergency, expatriates and visitors to Haiti will need to be air evacuated to receive treatment. Air evacuation can be extremely expensive and travel advisories recommend that those visiting Haiti take out comprehensive insurance to cover such occurrences. Expat Medical Insurance can provide a free quotation to cover all your travel and medical needs, including doctor’s fees, specialist consultations and emergency medical evacuation. Just call one of our experienced advisors today.