About Sierra Leone

The Republic of Sierra Leone is a West African country, neighboring Guinea, Liberia, and the Atlantic Ocean. Sierra Leone has a tropical climate and a diverse geography, spanning a total area of approximately 71,740 km². As of the 2015 consensus, the population of Sierra Leone was almost 7.1 million people. The relatively small population of Sierra Leone makes up 16 different ethnic groups, each of which has its own language and customs. The most widely spoken language is an English-based language called Krio, and is spoken by 98% of the population. The capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown, is the country’s largest and most populated city, and is also a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean. With a small nominal GDP of approximately $3.824 billion in 2018, or $505 per capita, more than half of the Sierra Leonean population lives in poverty (53%).

 

Healthcare & Precautions in Sierra Leone

When it comes to health care standards and accessibility, Sierra Leone is also rated very poorly. Infant and maternal mortality rates in Sierra Leone are among the highest globally, and the major causes of illnesses are avoidable with the help of current technology, adequate human resources, proper infrastructure, and medical advances. Clean water scarcity, nutritional deficiencies, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis are some – but not all - of the leading causes of death in Sierra Leone. The HIV/AIDS reported prevalence rate in Sierra Leone is 1.6%, though that percentage may not accurately reflect the actual prevalence rate in the country, as the disease is highly stigmatized among Sierra Leoneans. HIV-positive adults are usually denied jobs and HIV-positive children are denied schooling in Sierra Leone, although discrimination based on your health status is illegal.

Health Insurance in Sierra Leone

In terms of health infrastructure, Sierra Leone is divided into 13 health districts. Each district is managed by a health management team that is responsible for planning, monitoring, and organizing health provision, as well as training personnel, and supplying equipment and drugs. Each district also has an average of 50 peripheral health units (PHUs) and over 100 staff. The PHUs act as the delivery point for primary healthcare in Sierra Leone.

Healthcare in Sierra Leone is not free of charge, and is usually provided by the government, private organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A free healthcare system does exist in Sierra Leone; however, the “Free Health Care Medical Insurance” initiative is only available to pregnant and breast-feeding women, and children under the age of 5.

Our Recommendation

For these reasons, we strongly encourage all expats living in Sierra Leone to purchase a comprehensive international health insurance policy which provides an emergency evacuation and repatriation benefit.

 

It is also always recommended to buy a group medical insurance plan for your organization in Sierra Leone. If you would like to purchase a comprehensive corporate health insurance plan, MyBroker Inc. can assist you with all your coverage needs at competitive rates.

 

If you are an expat living in Sierra Leone, we at MyBroker Inc. are available to assist you with your comprehensive international health insurance needs, including emergency medical evacuations and repatriation.

 

For more information about the Sierra Leone health insurance policies we can offer, please feel free to contact us today. If you are looking to purchase international health insurance in Sierra Leone, please fill in your information in the form below to receive a quotation.