MPs Demand to Investigate Agreements with Foreign Hospitals
MPs of the National People’s Assembly called on the government, represented by the Ministry of Health, to open an urgent investigation into the agreements concluded with foreign hospitals, after receiving numerous complaints regarding the unsatisfactory results of Algerian patients who were transferred for treatment in these hospitals with the support of the state, especially since some of them were victims of fraud.
The MPs informed the Minister of Health, Abdelhak Saihi, in a closed session organized by the Health and Social Affairs Committee in the lower chamber of parliament, during the weekend, of the need to expedite opening an investigation into the agreements concluded with some foreign hospitals that undertake the treatment of Algerian patients abroad suffering from incurable diseases.
They stressed the need to review the agreement, especially since some Algerian patients, according to reports obtained by MPs, have been subjected to fraud, an MP of the National Democratic Rally, Hichem Safar, Told Echorouk.
The spokesman added that the results of treatment in these hospitals are not satisfactory and that some of these health institutions to which Algerians resort for treatment are not specialized, which makes them cling to a dream that may be cut short once they return to their homeland.
The same report was confirmed by the MP of the National Construction Movement, Rachid Cherchar, calling on Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui to intervene personally to find out the reasons for choosing these foreign hospitals, especially since the costs of treatment are paid by the Algerian state, and the Algerian patient endures the trouble of travel and fatigue in the hope of recovery and life.
Furthermore, the MPs took advantage of their meeting with the Health Minister to demand the necessity of serious care for those with chronic and rare diseases who suffer in silence – according to them – they also demanded the necessity of providing many cities with clinics, hospitals, equipment, specialist doctors and residents, and to reconsider the organization of emergency services.
They also called for lifting the freeze on projects to build hospitals in some wilayas of the country and solving the problem of employing pharmacists and doctors specializing in dental surgery.
The MPs proposed the creation of a cell to conduct medical appointments, especially for cancer patients, and to activate the contracting system for the health system as soon as possible, while submitting a proposal to the government to raise the budget allocated to the health sector, especially cancer treatment centres.
The Minister of Health took advantage of his meeting with the MPs to make a presentation on the most important milestones that the sector has witnessed since 2021, indicating that the projects achieved fall within the framework of embodying the commitments of the President of the Republic, especially those related to the field of health.
He mentioned, in particular, the areas of digitization, prevention and control of transmitted diseases, in addition to health care, for which an action guide was created regarding maternal and child health, developing a program to follow up on heart diseases through a digital network at the national level.
He added that “many activities related to neighbourhood and hospital structures were organized to ensure care for the preventive and hospital aspects,” highlighting that “focus was placed on the preventive aspect to avoid many problems that may arise at the hospital level.”
