Healthcare in Grenada: Hospitals and Health Insurance
Healthcare in Grenada
With a population of 107,000 in 2015, Grenada ranks 195th in the world by population and 212th by total area. The official language of Grenada is English. The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar.
Grenada ranks 85th in world health ranking per WHO. In 2014, the total expenditure on health per person was $728, which is 6.1% of the GDP. Grenadian males have a life expectancy at birth of 71 years, and females can expect to live 76 years. There are .66 physicians per 1,000 people in Grenada as compared to 2.56 physicians per 1,000 people in the United States.
Hospitals in Grenada
The Ministry of Health controls policy and financing (through general tax dollars) for Grenada’s 3 acute care public hospitals: The General Hospital (240 beds), Princess Alice (56 beds), and Princess Royal (40 beds), the psychiatric hospital Mt. Gay (80 beds), and a geriatric facility, Richmond Home for the Elderly (120 beds). In addition 30 medical stations (for first point of contact) and 6 health centers (for primary care services) are located throughout the country so that all citizens have access to a facility.
Grenada also has 5 acute care private hospitals, 13 nursing homes, 2 maternity units, and several single-practitioner clinics, which offer more sophisticated procedures and luxury. St. Augustine’s Medical Services, Inc. is a private hospital (18 beds) that treats medical, surgical, emergency, and maternity admissions.
Health Insurance in Grenada
Grenada does not have national health insurance; however, primary care is mostly free to citizens; they pay only for a small fee for medicine, lab work, or other diagnostics. These fees are waived for children, elderly, and the indigent. The National Insurance Scheme also provide care for work-related injuries. About 10% of the population have private health insurance.
Travel (International) Health Insurance in Grenada
Travel, or international, health insurance provides comprehensive medical coverage when traveling outside of one’s home country. Travel health insurance is different from travel insurance, as the latter may provide only emergency coverage but not full medical coverage.
Travelers should check with their health insurance provider, as they may already have an option of international health coverage. If they do not, they can purchase travel health insurance from their home country or the destination country.
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