Emergency healthcare in Bali

Tourists and expats living in Bali are often blissfully unaware of the healthcare system here until they need help. Local Balinese people go to local clinics, such as Jimbaran clinic on the Bypass to Nusa Dua, for small ailments, while serious injuries end up at Sanglah hospital in Denpasar.

There are 2 good clinics that many of the affluent locals and also foreigners go to, SOS International and BIMC in Kuta. These clinics are rather expensive and cannot handle major operations. A friend of mine had an emergency with his wife (she had an unborn foetus jammed inside her) and Sanglah hospital in Denpasar, wanted to zip her open from one side to the other. My friend elected to fly her to Singapore for an operation and things worked out okay.

The point is, you might need emergency treatment or even emergency medical evacuation. These are expensive. A recent Expat Telegraph article discusses the Get me outta here, trend. It is unfortunate the effect this has on the local emergency services, depriving them from revenue, but if you have the means to make a choice, you might as well make a good one.

I have Expat health Insurance that lasts a year and covers me all over the world. I would not want to think about living here in Bali without it.