Papua New Guinea Health Insurance

Papua New Guinea, or the Independent State of Papua New Guinea as it is officially known, is located in the Oceania region of Asia, just north of Australia. It shares the island of New Guinea with the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua and its population is thought to number 6.5 million people.

Papua New Guinea is home to some of the world’s most traditional societies with over 850 individual ethnic tribes and a similar number of languages and dialects. 85 percent of the population lives in isolated or rural areas and vast areas of the country are dense tropical jungle which has remained unexplored by scientists. Agriculture employs 85 percent of the country’s workforce while the country’s main exports include oil, gold and copper. With a large section of the workforce engaged in subsistence farming on unforgiving terrain, an estimated one third of the total population is thought to live below the international poverty line.

Formerly part of Australia, Papua New Guinea achieved independence in 1975 and has continued to be part of the British Commonwealth. Although rich in natural resources, Papua New Guinea’s diverse terrain has ensured that development of the country remains problematic.

Papua New Guinea Health Care and Insurance

Health care in Papua New Guinea is extremely limited and mainly consists of a small number of government run facilities. International aid organizations are also active on the ground as they try to improve health care services and the overall standard of living in the country. Both public and international aid facilities are only capable of providing some basic primary health care services and all healthcare locations in Papua New Guinea routinely run short of medicines and supplies. Electricity outages are common and there are ongoing problems with sanitation and access to clean water supplies, problems which also affect hospitals and clinics. It is imperative that all tourists, expatriates and short term visitors ensure they have Papua New Guinea international health insurance which will provide medical cover for the duration of their time in the country.

Mismanagement of public services by the government is one the major contributory causes of Papua New Guinea’s inadequate health care system. The government has drafted numerous reforms, enacted changes in legislation and made promises to international donors that they would increase cooperation to raise the standard of health care throughout the country. Very little actual work on the ground has followed and many citizens in rural areas receive little government assistance, if any. Annual funding problems have meant that in some years, as little as 3 percent of GDP has been allocated towards health care. This measly amount of funding is a long way off what is required to maintain current services, never mind carry out new initiatives and reforms.

An ambitious program to renovate one of Papua New Guinea’s hospitals was announced in July 2011 and a number of international doctors and physicians hope to establish a large private medical facility in the capital city of Port Moresby. Many secondary and tertiary services will hopefully become available locally and the facility will be funded entirely from private contributions. While these initatives are welcome, they are still in the early stages of planning and no exact date has been set on when the facility may open. At present, many patients requiring specialist or advanced medical treatment are evacuated to Australia. Expatriates and tourists should note that emergency medical evacuation can be extremely expensive and such a provision should be inserted into all Papua New Guinea international health insurance policies.

Papua New Guinea Travel Insurance Concerns

The rural population of the country has been left to their own devices by the government and authorities. The rule of law is rarely adhered to and many disagreements and arguments usually end in violence while inter ethnic mistrust and violence between tribes is common. Alcohol and substance abuse is an integral part of daily life and expatriates and travelers should exercise caution when visiting rural and isolated areas of the country. Road traffic accidents, in particular, generally result in violent confrontations; expatriates and foreign nationals involved in a road accident, or disagreements with members of the local community, are advised to travel to a police station immediately and seek their assistance in resolving the dispute. Crime levels in general, including theft and kidnapping, are quite high and can pose a problem for expatriates and tourists, particularly in Port Moresby and other large urban areas. Foreign nationals are advised to travel in groups as often as possible and to heed advice from local contacts.

Papua New Guinea’s poor provision of health care and its location in the tropics results in many illnesses and diseases being prevalent in the country. Poor sanitation levels and lack of sewage facilities in rural areas leads to regular outbreaks of Cholera, the most recent in early 2010 which affected over 2,000 people and caused 45 deaths. Other diseases found throughout the country include Dengue fever, malaria, dysentery and typhoid. HIV/AIDS is estimated to affect 1.5 percent of the population and there are roughly 54,000 citizens living with the disease. This infection rate is the highest among countries in the Oceania and Asia Pacific region as a whole. Expatriates and travelers should consult with a travel health specialist at least four weeks prior to arrival in the country. The presence of numerous deadly diseases means it is imperative to purchase a Papua New Guinea international health insurance plan.

Papua New Guinea Expat Health Insurance

Papua New Guinea is a rare and relatively unspoiled country in which centuries old traditions and rural way of life can be still be witnessed and experienced today. Many aspects of the country, including public services and the provision of health care, remain undeveloped and considerable risk is attached to any relocation or visit to the country. Should an expatriate or foreign tourist require serious medical attention, air evacuation to Australia will often be required. Expat Medical Insurance can assist you determine which health insurance product or plan is best suited to your individual medical requirements while in Papua New Guinea. Plans can often be tailored to include provisions such as air evacuation. For more information on Papua New Guinea international health insurance, global health insurance plans or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our advisors today.