By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 31 October 2021:
Libya will pay its financial dues to health institutions in Jordan and Turkey after completing the work of the audit and review committees, at rates ranging from 20% to 25% of the total debts, provided that new sick cases are accepted from Libya for treatment, as well as the conclusion of new treatment contracts.
This is the conclusion of the report of the Ministry of Health’s Committee for Reviewing and Approving Debt Treatment Abroad announced yesterday.
The Ministry announced that Minister of Health, Ali Al-Zanati, discussed with members of the Committee, formed according to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 262/21, the results of the Committee’s meetings held during the past days, in Turkey and Jordan, to review the debts owed by the Libyan state in preparation for their payment.
During the meeting held with the Committee in Istanbul, Turkey, the Minister was briefed on the reports it prepared under the tasks assigned to it.
According to the committee’s reports, the financial dues will be paid to health institutions in Jordan and Turkey after completing the work of the audit and review committees based on the above mentioned percentages and conditions.
In accordance with the tasks entrusted to it, the committee shall review and audit the debts owed to creditors abroad for treatment and accommodation, in addition to preparing accurate accounting reports in preparation for negotiation.
It will also provide a database showing the negative and positive points of financial claims that are a basis for negotiation, as well as the approval of any measures previously taken or amended, as required by the public interest.
Suspected corruption in overseas health treatment
It will be recalled that the medical treatment of Libyans abroad, and especially that of militias, is suspected of much financial abuse and irregularities. This often happened with the connivance of Libyan patients.
For example, there are reports that prices were inflated, patients were billed for treatments or medicines they did not receive and stays in hospital or accommodation were extended without medical merit – purely for corrupt purposes (kickbacks).
