The Healthcare System in Greenland: Organisation, Access for a Foreigner, Hospitals, Emergencies and Health Risks

Greenland’s health system falls under the self-governing government (Naalakkersuisut), whose Department of Health publishes the access rules and the Peqqik portal. It is organised into five health regions. According to the Peqqik portal, these regions are:

• Avannaa: Ilulissat, Uummannaq, Upernavik, Qaanaaq and their villages;
• Disko: Aasiaat, Qeqertarsuaq, Qasigiannguit, Kangaatsiaq and their villages;
• Qeqqa: Sisimiut, Maniitsoq and the small localities;
• Kujataa: Qaqortoq, Narsaq, Nanortalik and their villages;
• Sermersooq: Nuuk, Paamiut, Tasiilaq, Ittoqqortoormiit and their villages.

Each region has a regional hospital in its most populous town, and inhabitants always have access to the services of the regional hospital of their region. If a local consultation does not offer a planned procedure, it is carried out at the regional hospital. The portal specifies that the catalogue of services is an evolving overview, which varies with the population. The official sources consulted describe a public offer; they do not describe a private network of clinics or hospitals.

The offer follows the size of the locality, according to Peqqik: village consultation without telemedicine equipment under 50 inhabitants, with “Pipaluk” equipment from 50 to 200 inhabitants, health station from 200 to 500 inhabitants, small to medium-sized health centre from 500 to 1,200 inhabitants, large health centre beyond that, regional hospital in the most populous town of the region. Any locality of more than 500 inhabitants has at least one dental clinic. Telemedicine thus links the smallest villages to health professionals.

Queen Ingrid’s Hospital (Dronning Ingrids Hospital) in Nuuk receives patients in surgical, medical and emergency departments; people from outside Nuuk are directed to the patient hotel. The Peqqik portal also lists hospitals in Ilulissat, Aasiaat (regional hospital), Sisimiut, Qaqortoq and Nanortalik, and health centres in the other localities. For relatives accompanying a hospitalised patient, the health system covers transport, accommodation and meals when they actually travel with the patient, on the same transport; loss of professional income is not covered.

Sullissivik, the official public services portal, states that all citizens have an equal right to health system benefits and that medical consultation, hospitalisation and treatment are free for people registered in the population register and living in Greenland. The text speaks of “borgere” (inhabitants) and mentions no nationality condition: the criterion is registration and residence. A French national who settles declares their move to the municipality, and the details of registration should be confirmed with it. People are also entitled to an interpreter.

Certain services remain wholly or partly at the patient’s expense: non-prescription medicines, except for people with a chronic illness, those under 18 and retirees, who can obtain them free of charge from the health system; vaccines outside the national programme for children; examinations requested for a medical certificate (life insurance, driving licence); a copy of the medical file. The system lends technical aids such as crutches. Glasses are not mentioned on the page consulted.

Dental care is free for inhabitants, with priority for children and young people up to 21: check-ups, advice, emergency care, repair of damaged teeth, prostheses and orthodontic appliances after assessment. Routine care is provided in the district of registration and is not covered abroad. Sullissivik warns that people arriving in Greenland with very damaged teeth cannot be sure of obtaining free care.

For a visitor, a Department of Health document published on Peqqik defines a temporary stay as a stay of less than 6 months and lists France among the states whose nationals must present proof of health entitlement in their country (for example the EHIC). They are then entitled to necessary care, assessed by the treating doctor according to the length of stay and the nature of the illness: doctor, hospital and prescribed medicines free of charge, as well as transport prescribed by a doctor from a year-round inhabited locality to the district hospital and then to Queen Ingrid’s Hospital (Dronning Ingrids Hospital), and emergency dental care with public-sector dentists. Repatriation and transport from places with no year-round habitation are excluded. Without proof, payment is in full, and people coming from a non-EU, non-Nordic country pay for all care. This document still cites regulation 1408/71, since replaced by regulation 883/2004, and CLEISS does not list Greenland: confirmation with the health insurance fund before departure remains prudent.

In small localities, the first point of contact is the village consultation, the health station or the health centre, sometimes by telemedicine; referral to the regional hospital and then to Nuuk follows the nature of the need. A patientvejledning (patient guide) service provides information by telephone on 344050 on working days from 1 pm to 3 pm, or by email at Siunnersorti@peqqik.gl, without a name being needed for general information.

The Greenlandic police display in the header of their website an alarm number, 701448. France Diplomatie indicates, for Denmark, to call 112 in an emergency; the sources consulted do not specify whether this number applies to the whole of Greenland, hence the value of checking local numbers on arrival. The French Consulate General in Nuuk can give guidance in case of difficulty ((+45) 3515 8018).

The Peqqik portal brings together information on medicines: pharmacies and opening hours, over-the-counter medicines, authorised medicines (import and dispensing) and medical certificates. For medicines, France Diplomatie recommends, for Denmark, taking only what is necessary, in their original packaging, with a prescription giving the international non-proprietary names, and making sure they are authorised in the country of destination; the same caution applies to Greenland.

Peqqik organises flu and covid-19 vaccination campaigns, the authorities expecting a rise in infections during the autumn-winter season. Vaccines outside the national programme for children are at the patient’s expense. France Diplomatie recommends checking that routine French vaccinations are up to date, and consulting a doctor or an international vaccination centre well before departure.

The risks stem first from the polar environment. France Diplomatie reminds travellers that ice is constantly in motion despite its apparent stillness, recommends venturing onto it only with a professional guide and suitable equipment, staying on marked trails and travelling in a group, as the weather can change quickly. Rescue resources in polar and subpolar waters are limited. The distance between localities and the reliance on air or sea links make medical transport more expensive and slower than in continental Europe.

This is why the Greenlandic health system recommends travel insurance covering acute illness, treatment, hospitalisation, medicines, repatriation, civil liability and luggage, as well as public care, private dental care and transport from places with no year-round habitation; luggage, cancellation or bank card insurance is not enough without a precise check of the cover. France Diplomatie also reports, on its page on Denmark, occasional health alerts, for example on measles: check vaccinations before departure. See the repatriation and assistance page.

A registered resident falls under the free public system; a visitor, an employee awaiting registration or a family in transition complements it with insurance. The guide healthcare reimbursement in Greenland details each situation, the page expat health insurance in Greenland brings together the requirements, and expat health insurance presents the options. Expavy helps you compare these options.