By Sami Zaptia.
Tunis, 18 December 2015:
Libya’s health sector is dysfunctional, Jaffar Hussien WHO Libya Director, said at the UNDP-organized Second Libyan . . .[restrict]Experts Development Cooperation Forum held in Tunis 17-18 December.
The sector is reactive rather than proactive and has failed to evolve increasing the vulnerability of the Libyan people which has been exacerbated the country’s security situation, Hussien added.
There are acute shortages of medicines, vaccines and basic supplies and equipment reported by the sector across the country. The system has oscillated from being highly centralized prior to the 2011 revolution to being fragmented after the political split of the country.
WHO reported that there are blockages in all the six main sectors; governance, medical supply, HR, finance, service delivery and the health information system.
While finance is still extremely centralized, the country’s insecurity has affected HR and medicine movement across the country and especially between the east and west.
Many foreign nurses have been affected and have either been displaced or left the country. Local staff have also suffered.
Libya is one of the few WHO member countries that does not have a national health plan making it difficult to translate medium and long term plans into effective delivery, WHO bemoaned.
The report also revealed that Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan spend more on health than Libya. [/restrict]
