Health care in the circumpolar world: Greenland

Abstract

Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and it is the world’s largest island. An ice cap covers 85% of its territory. The population is about 57,000 inhabitants, with 14,000 living in the capital Nuuk, and 10,000 in villages and other small settlements. There are pronounced regional variations in lifestyle and living conditions. The Greenland Home Rule Government assumed responsibility for health care on 1 January 1992. Greenland’s territory is divided into 16 health care districts. Queen Ingrid’s Hospital in Nuuk is the national hospital and has 156 beds and numerous specialist physicians associated with it. Each health district has a health care centre with one or more physicians, nurses and other health care personnel appropriate for the number of people living in the district. Each district health centre is responsible for primary health care in towns, villages and other small settlements, and the health centres treat all common illnesses. The health centres handle uncomplicated births, minor surgery, common treatment in internal medicine and community mental health services. The centres have a number of inpatient beds proportional to the number of people in the health district. People with more complicated illnesses are referred to Queen Ingrid’s Hospital in Nuuk or to specialised treatment in Denmark.

Key Words:

• Greenland
• health care system
• primary health care
• tipping the balance