Catastrophic health system in Algeria: report

Algeria’s health system has deteriorated for the last four years due to a series of strikes, medicines shortage and the incapacity of hospitals to shelter patients, a new report finds.

• The report was based on a study conducted on 12 health institutions in Algeria. It will be presented to the public opinion by the end of the week, according to the Algerian doctors’ dean and chairman of the Medical Ethics Council Bekat Berkani.
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• He said urgent proposals will be submitted to the Algerian health minister, the prime minister and the president of the republic about the current situation of health system.
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• He stressed the seriousness of regression in health institutions and how they were affected by strikes and medicines shortage.
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• He also said the health ministry ignored claims submitted by doctors, nurses and all the medical personnel. “They chose to transmit their claims by open strikes as the ministry did not offer better socio-professional conditions to the medical sector.”
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• He believes that strikes among students in medicine will blow up the health system in the country as they ensured the smooth running of hospitals during strikes.
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• Berkani described repeating medicines shortage and medical equipment as a “chronic disease” due to the bad running of medicines market in Algeria.
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• “The biggest danger is to deepen the sector crisis through reforms limited in slogans and unrealistic promises,” he said.