By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 3 June 2013:
Health Minister Nouredine Doughman revealed that his Ministry had spent over LD 100 million, but admitted . . .[restrict]that this may not be too visible in the health system since it has been spent on things such as lifts, air conditions, housing for medical staff etc
Speaking last week at the Prime Ministerial press conference, Doughman further revealed that the latest tender for the Medical Supply Organization (MSO), the state agency that procures and distributes subsidized medicines into and within Libya, was ready.
However, he complained that his Ministry could not find an adequate database of medicines (the standard approved medicine list) and that he was creating a computer system to update this list in cooperation with the French.
He also revealed that WHO was helping Libya set up a reference laboratory.
Minister Doughman then proceeded to list a long list of clinics and hospitals and gave a brief update on their progress.
The tender envelopes for six clinics, four in Tripoli and two in Benghazi are ready to be opened. Surman hospital is also ready and the Ministry was having discussions with the local council regarding the possibility of the hospital being managed by a foreign partner.
Misrata Accident Hospital has 140 beds ready and that a clinic was rented to act as a births clinic. Derna hospital he admitted had bottlenecks and it has been handed over to a company to prepare.
Jalu hospital was being prepared with equipment and Brega hospital will be ready to open on 15 July, the Minister said.
Benghazi hospital signed an MOU with a Belgian company and that his Ministry has given permission to the Benghazi Medical Centre to sign a three year cooperation agreement to train surgeons.
Tripoli Medical Centre lacks lifts which are being installed and the Nuclear medicine centre is being activated, revealed the Health Minister.
The Minister also informed that the Kidney hospital in Zawia will soon open and the Zahra Kidney centre will restart kidney implants in cooperation with Egypt. Sbea hospital is doing well, he concluded, and a budget has been allocated to it to buy some shortages. [/restrict]
