Brunei Darussalam (Brunei) is a small state on the continent of Asia (Southeast Asia), located on the island of Borneo, and borders Malaysia. Despite its small area, Brunei is a very developed country with not only an excellent tourism infrastructure but also a stable universal healthcare system. The country's medical base includes more than two dozen public hospitals and private clinics with the most modern and excellent medical equipment. Some of them are aimed at protecting the health of mothers and children.

The largest hospitals in Brunei

1. Round-the-clock hospital Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital (abbreviated name RIPAS), the largest medical facility in Brunei. The initial number of beds is 523, which has been increased due to the introduction of new services. There are 6 main blocks in the structure - chambers, a block of specialized clinics, a polyclinic and a state laboratory, a sports complex, and a transport complex with a pier and a helipad. The hospital has more than 20 areas, the main ones are surgery, pathology, psychiatry, dermatology, neurosurgery, orthogynlaringology, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and more.

2. Suri Seri Begawan Hospital, is the second-largest hospital with 183 beds. Provides specialized services in the following areas:

general surgery; dentistry; dermatology; ophthalmology; psychiatry; physiotherapy; Maxillofacial Surgery; obstetrics and gynecology; pediatrics with a separate children's unit. The new outpatient and emergency department has facilities, including a small operating room for the treatment of patients with acute trauma, as well as other emergencies requiring immediate resuscitation.

3. Jerudong Park Medical Center (JPMC) is a private 24-hour specialized clinic. Includes a huge list of services using integrated clinical practice, innovation, cutting-edge research, and new treatment models in patient outcomes. The hospital is also accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), which means the safety of patients and the constant compliance of the services provided with their internationally recognized criteria. Jerudong Park Medical Center offers 29 clinical specialties and sub-specialties including Endocrinology, Gynecology, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, and Implantology.

Combined with the use of advanced technologies in treatment, the quality of services and the level of medicine in this country are very high. Nursing staff and doctors of the highest rank are highly qualified and many of them speak English. Most doctors are educated abroad, as the education sector in the state is poorly developed. There is no separate medical school on the territory of Brunei, only the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Brunei Darussalam.

It should also be noted that for citizens of Brunei, medical treatment is completely free for adults and children. Nevertheless, a part of the local population who cannot be provided with medical services at the expense of the state, as a rule, is sent for treatment outside the country.

The most common diseases that increase the mortality of Brunei citizens are endocrine diseases (diabetes, obesity); oncology (cancer, lymphomas, leukemias); diseases of the cardiovascular system (heart attacks, strokes), as well as pathologies of cerebral circulation. Other ailments include exotic diseases, such as Japanese encephalitis, and tropical fever. At the same time, relatively rare cases of such an acute febrile disease as malaria are observed in the country. There is also a sufficient risk of catching hepatitis B and E or dysentery. Among the positive dynamics for the southeastern state is the level of HIV / AIDS infection, which is only 0.1% of the population.

Medical services in Brunei for foreigners

For foreign citizens who arrive for any purpose, including tourism, all types of medical services in Brunei are provided only on a paid basis. If you went to the Brunei Government Hospital, then the medical treatment bill is issued after the treatment. In private clinics, it is mandatory to provide an insurance policy. A typical consultation with further treatment can cost about $200 or more per appointment. That is why we recommend that you take out international medical insurance with sufficient coverage of the sum insured before the trip. You can purchase such an insurance policy on the website where you can choose two categories of insurance (Basic or Worldwide), as well as travel insurance with covid coverage.

What about the purchase of drugs? In pharmacies, drug prices are very high, as the country imports many items of drugs. If you regularly take a certain group of drugs, be sure to make sure that their components are allowed in the territory of the southeastern state. And before planning a trip to Brunei, we advise you to stock up on your first aid kit for the entire duration of your visit to the country.