Healthcare in Zambia
There are excellent private hospitals in Zambia’s larger cities. These cater not only to foreigners but also to affluent Zambians. For the expat it is essential either to make sure that any medical insurance cover from outside Zambia covers living in the country, or that medical insurance is taken out quickly on arrival. It is important that this medical plan is comprehensive including cover for country to country evacuations.
The water in Zambian cities is drinkable, but for anyone with a delicate stomach, worth avoiding. While locals can drink the stuff without ill effects, anyone visiting will often become ill before adapting. Bottled water is a solution to this problem.
Zambia offers universal healthcare to all its people. However by western standards this healthcare is very basic. Only 50 percent of rural people have access to a facility (often only a mission hospital), compared to 99 percent of urban dwellers. The health system is heavily stretched at the moment, and only a critical injury will elicit immediate help in a government hospital. Many Zambian doctors leave the country or work only for the private health system, meaning that public health is subject to a skills drain.
Zambia is in the malaria belt and also a TB zone so a doctor should be consulted before departure about appropriate medication. An essential purchase in Zambia is a mosquito net. These nets cover the bed at night and have a significant effect in reducing mosquito bites. Zambia also has a very high prevalence of HIV infection and unprotected sex should be avoided.
For anyone planning on going into rural Zambia packing an extensive medical kit is almost essential. There will be very few facilities to purchase medical supplies in the country side, and often a traveller can be better kitted out than a poor mission hospital.
The water in Zambian cities is drinkable, but for anyone with a delicate stomach, worth avoiding. While locals can drink the stuff without ill effects, anyone visiting will often become ill before adapting. Bottled water is a solution to this problem.
Zambia offers universal healthcare to all its people. However by western standards this healthcare is very basic. Only 50 percent of rural people have access to a facility (often only a mission hospital), compared to 99 percent of urban dwellers. The health system is heavily stretched at the moment, and only a critical injury will elicit immediate help in a government hospital. Many Zambian doctors leave the country or work only for the private health system, meaning that public health is subject to a skills drain.
Zambia is in the malaria belt and also a TB zone so a doctor should be consulted before departure about appropriate medication. An essential purchase in Zambia is a mosquito net. These nets cover the bed at night and have a significant effect in reducing mosquito bites. Zambia also has a very high prevalence of HIV infection and unprotected sex should be avoided.
For anyone planning on going into rural Zambia packing an extensive medical kit is almost essential. There will be very few facilities to purchase medical supplies in the country side, and often a traveller can be better kitted out than a poor mission hospital.
