Health & Education

Under the national health policy, adopted in 2010, Gabon is seeking to provide better quality care to its citizens. Plans to upgrade and build new health care facilities are under way, while a national health insurance scheme being rolled out will increase access to health care throughout the country, providing free care and access to medicine. The government hopes to offer universal health care by 2025. Under a new plan for education, the government will spend more than €2.5bn between 2010 and 2020 to construct and upgrade schools and educational facilities and train teachers. Goals for the sector include increasing enrolment rates and access to pre-school programmes. The government is also emphasising technical and vocational training to bring the education sector’s offerings in line with the country’s needs. This chapter contains a viewpoint by Dr Lachlan Forrow, President, International Foundation of the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, on improving health care.