Gabon’s medical infrastructure is known to be one of the best in West Africa. As of 2004, about 90% of Gabon’s population had access to healthcare. Gabon has several hospitals, clinics, and other health institutions that serve the general public in terms of healthcare. These are both private and public.
Medical evacuation- patients might need medical evacuation in Gabon due to several reasons. Depending on the extent of medical care needed or preferences of the patient. Medical evacuation may be needed in case of an accident or if the foreign national falls sick unexpected with a condition that cannot be treated in Gabon or that needs specialist care.
Health Insurance- travelers to Gabon need to have health insurance for them to avoid hassles in getting medical care in case of an illness or accident. International health insurance gives international travelers access to healthcare in any country they travel to.
Let’s take a brief look at some of the hospitals found in Gabon:
University hospital of Libreville
This is the largest public hospital in Gabon. The hospital receives more patients than any other hospital in the country. The hospital has sufficient technology to deal with a variety of diseases and conditions. Libreville hospital handles most of the deliveries, primary care, and secondary care in Gabon. It can handle some specialized care as well. It serves as a teaching hospital as well.
- Facilities: the hospital has 650 beds, a neurology department, maternal care center, visceral surgery department, in-patient and outpatient department, intensive care department, accidents, and emergency department.
- Personnel: the hospital has a staff complement estimated at 1500 workers across all areas, including doctors, nurses, and specialists.
Hospital Albert Schweitzer
This is a hospital located in Lambarene, it was established in 1913 by Albert and Helene Breslau Schweitzer. It deals with a broad range of diseases and ailments including HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, which are a major focus. The hospital has a research laboratory that has been recognized as one of the leading facilities in scientific studies of malaria in Africa.
- Facilities: the hospital had 150 beds, a pharmacy, an X-Ray unit, a laboratory, and an emergency room, to name but a few, as of 2017.
- Personnel: the hospital has a staff complement of about 160, with 2 surgeons, 2 pediatricians, and 2 interns.
Hospital Bongolo-
This is a Christian hospital located in Bongolo, Lebamba in Gabon. The hospital provides medical care to a desperate population.it also provides spiritual care and training to empower medical professionals. The hospital specializes in developing strategies that will engage local communities in innovative ways. It serves a third of the country’s population. It also acts as a training hospital for nurses and midwives and also has a community health program.
- Facilities: the hospital has 158 beds, and provides surgery, maternity care, obstetrics, pediatrics, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, urology, gynecology. It has an eye clinic, emergency room, recovery room, intensive care unit, dental clinic, in-patient, and outpatient department, HIV/ AIDS treatment center, and a laboratory, to mention but a few.
- Personnel: the hospital has a rather big and specialized staff complement with doctors and nurses, physicians, 2 surgeons, 5 surgical residents, 2 general practice physicians, 1 ophthalmologist, 3 CRNAs, 1 pediatrician, and 1 IM/Peds physician.
Hospital Centre D’owendo
This is a university hospital located in Libreville. It provides healthcare and also acts as a training hospital for nursing students.
