Syria Health Insurance

Feeling comfortable in the knowledge that if something was to happen to a family member their medical costs will be taken care of, is important to us all. Our expert consultants can advise on the most suitable level of coverage for families, individuals, groups, travelers, and teachers expatriate health insurance.

Expatriate Health Insurance Syria

Pacific Prime is an expatriate insurance broker specialising in providing overseas medical insurance for Syria nationals living, working or holidaying abroad. If you are a non Syria national and moving to Syria we can also provide plans that meet your specific requirements.

Professional Service you can trust

Pacific Prime Insurance will be with you for the duration of your policy. We offer additional customer services that include claims advice, emergency contact numbers and medical advice lines. We also maintain a comprehensive list of Syria hospitals/doctors. Most of our clients are expatriates so we maintain a list of Embassies in Syria.

As a leading broker of medical insurance in Syria we keep up on the latest insurance trends and Syria Insurance News.

We can offer expatriates in Syria dedicated international health insurance plans that will provide comprehensive coverage in the East and around the world. Plans that we can offer will usually have a number of benefits that a policyholder is able to tailor to suit their specific requirements. With coverage options including out-patient, dental, maternity, and emergency evacuation, you will be assured of receiving the highest levels of quality treatment anywhere in the world.

Syria Medical Insurance

Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is positioned to the west of the Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon, south of Jordan, north of Turkey, east of Iraq, and southwest of Israel. Although most of Syria is made up of arid plateaus, the part of the country that runs along the Mediterranean does have a lot of arable, green land. Also, the Euphrates River, which is considered to be a part of the “Cradle of Civilization”, runs through the eastern part of the country. Syria enjoys a warm to hot climate with mild winters. Visitors will find a place rich in beautiful landscapes and cultural history, with emphasis placed on respect for family, religion, and traditions.

The 1973 Syrian Constitution guarantees citizens extensive healthcare services free of charge. As such, the Syrian government has constantly placed heavy emphasis on the development of the Syrian health sector. Significant developments and investments in the country’s health indicators have been made since 1973. This notable progress can be seen in the increase of life expectancies and the decrease of child, infant, and maternal mortality. However, more recently, the Syrian healthcare system has experienced a major financial crisis.

With a growing population, a large influx of Iraqi refugees, and an increasing budget deficit, the healthcare system is no longer able to maintain adequate healthcare services to its citizens. Syria has a population of 19 million that is growing at a rate of 2.5 percent a year. In addition, in 2003 alone, there were about 1.5 million Iraqi refugees who found asylum in Syria. Combined, the Syrian population increased by 8 percent in 2003. Furthermore, the budget deficit has increased from 1.7 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2001 to 5 percent of GDP in 2005. Annual spending on the healthcare sector is also considered low in comparison with other countries in Syria’s region. In 2004, Syria’s healthcare expenditures amounted to 5 percent of GDP, while Jordan and Lebanon spent 9.8 percent and 11.5 percent of their GDP, respectively.

The Syrian Ministry of Health is in charge of the majority of the responsibility in developing policies, laws, regulations, and programs related to the healthcare sector. However, while the health sector is still undergoing a transitional period to a health insurance scheme, some of the responsibilities are spread out to the Ministry of Higher Education, Defense, and Local Affairs.

One of the methods that the Syrian government has employed to improve its services is to modernize its medical programs. Since 2002, the European Union has funded the Health Sector Modernization Program (HSMP), which has helped Syria with its health sector reforms. In 2007, further funding was allocated to HSMP in order to lessen the strain on the healthcare system caused by the influx of Iraqi refugees. This project ended in 2010, but the second phase of the program continued with HSMP II, which allocated 15 million euros for 2011- 2015. In December 2010, the European Investment Bank (EIB) also signed a 130 million euro agreement that will provide additional support to help Syria modernize its healthcare sector. This project will build 8 hospitals in six different districts and finish the national center for drugs and public health in the capital city Damascus. Another part of its healthcare reform involves introducing payment for any medical services received by Syrian residents. This proposal was initially controversial, as Syrians had grown used to free healthcare services. However, the changes are gradually being accepted because citizens see that they do receive a higher quality of care. This project also plans to introduce a national health insurance scheme. This would involve companies paying for a portion of medical costs as a part of the employee’s benefits package. However, the government will still continue to provide free services for those who cannot afford services.

Although the majority of the Syrian healthcare industry is directed by the public sector, the private sector is rapidly growing. The current public health facilities only cover about 30 to 40 percent of Syrian citizens’ needs. The government hopes to either build more hospitals or encourage the growth of the private health sector in order to cover the remaining 60 to 70 percent of the population. Currently, the Syrian public health sector network is organized into primary, secondary, and tertiary services. Through reforms, the government hopes to decentralize the public sector as there is still a large disparity between the quality and accessibility of healthcare between rural and urban areas. Although there has been a huge growth in the number of hospitals and doctors, 41 percent between 1995 and 2001, the large majority of these facilities and staff members are located in urban areas. These reforms hope to not only expand the health sector’s coverage, but also to make it more efficient.

Another major problem besetting the Syrian health sector is the lack of organization, management, and effectiveness. Before reforms, the system was administered centrally, so any requests needed to be submitted to the Damascus Health Directorate. With decentralization, more financial control and administrative responsibilities will be passed on to the general directors at each hospital. Hospital directors are now able to buy medical equipment immediately when they need it or give more financial incentives to nurses and doctors who work challenging shifts or perform well.

As of 2010, Syria’s healthcare facilities include 121 public hospitals and 370 private hospitals, with 29,927 doctors, 15,799 dentists, and 33,263 nurses. All facilities are open to tourists and expatriates. However, unless you have Syrian citizenship, you will not enjoy the reduced prices that locals do. Private facilities are also available, but these costs will be significantly higher than public ones. Most urban hospitals are well equipped. Doctors general speak French and English, as well as their native language, Arabic. Despite the fact that medical treatment is not too expensive, travelers and expatriates are still recommended to take out an international Syria health insurance policy because the quality of care is highly variable even when in urban areas. The majority of hospitals even in urban areas may be lower than standards of Western Europe and North America. Furthermore, if you are in a rural region and are seriously injured or ill, immediate evacuation will be required. These costs have known to be as much as $100,000 USD, so be sure to check that your policy will cover evacuation transportation expenses.

Recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, typhoid, polio, hepatitis B, yellow fever, rabies, measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus-diptheria. Travelers are also recommended to bring insect repellant and sleep in bed nets whenever possible. Although malaria is rare, it has been reported in the area. Malaria pills are not needed, but take extreme caution, especially between May and October.

Pacific Prime can assist you with any international, travel, or health insurance needs if you decide to travel to Syria. We offer professional advice at no cost to you. No matter what your budget is or what your requirements are, our professional consultants can help find a policy that fits you or your group. Our policies can cover a wide range of services including dental, maternity, specialist consultation, transportation, inpatient services, and many more. Please contact us today for a free consultation.