Health Care, Disease Control, Crime and Safety in Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein has only one hospital—the Liechtensteinisches Landesspital, or Liechtenstein National Hospital—in Vaduz City, the country’s capital. This is run by the government with private practitioners such as doctors and nurses. Despite this lack of sufficient medical facilities, the country’s healthcare standard is high and its public health system is well-developed, according to a government survey. In mid-1990s, the country had 2.5 physicians per 10,000 people and the nurse-to-doctor ratio was 2:1 with available hospital beds of 8.3 per 1,000 persons.

The Ministry of Public Health is responsible for the general health policy for the country. It also oversees, supervises and implements public health services, health insurance, pharmaceutical products and food safety. It is backed up by a Committee on Public Health headed by a State Medical Officer. The provision of health services, however, is not enough at the National Hospital, and it has to be supplemented by foreign hospitals like those in Switzerland and Austria under contract with the government. Switzerland’s excellent facilities also supplement the country’s small medical institutions. This is part of the agreements that allow residents of Liechtenstein to have access to the hospitals of the two neighbor countries.

Supporting the health care program of the country are a number of insurance schemes which are mandatory for all residents under a comprehensive health plan shared by the employers or owners of businesses, their employees and the government.