Health Care, Disease Control, Crime and Safety in Nicaragua

The public health system in Nicaragua has tremendously improved ever since the wars in the country have ceased. When the warring parties have laid down their arms, the government had been able to pay closer attention to basic needs of the citizens like health care centers and information dissemination campaigns toward better health.

As of 2006, the total number of public hospitals in the country was 33 along with 5,256 beds, giving it a ratio of 102 beds per 100,000 people. Of the 33 hospitals, 22 are general hospitals and the others are classified as pediatrics, dermatological, gynecological oncology or psychiatric hospital/clinics.

Right now, the country is concerned with controlling major infectious diseases that could anytime blossom in the country; health challenges which are the usual problems of countries located in the tropics. Usual cases of epidemic seen in the country are bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, dengue, malaria and leptospirosis.

HIV/AIDS is one of those diseases being closely monitored also by the country’s concerned agency. As of 2007, estimates of Nicaraguans with HIV/AIDS was around 7,700 with persons dying from the disease was fewer than 500.

As the country is on the road to development, the government is exerting all efforts to address issues regarding public health. On the government side, financing remains to be a big problem as the country was in utter disarray when peace was finally achieved. Right now, the country needs more doctors, nurses and other medical technicians as well as diagnostic equipments.