The Tripoli based Libyan Ministry of Health reported yesterday that 1,233 heart operations were conducted by its various medical centres. These included heart surgery, catheterisation, and open-heart surgery for children. The Ministry said the operations came in at a total cost of LD 14.1 million (US$ 2.35 million), with an average price of LD 11,500.00 (US$ 1,900) per operation.
The statistics were revealed by the Head of the Health Ministry’s Documentary Credits Department during a meeting held by Deputy Prime Minister / Acting Minister of Health, Ramadan Abu Janah.
Herat operations conducted in partnership with private sector
During the meeting, the implementation of contracts for performing heart surgeries and catheterization, which are carried out in medical centres through partnership with the private sector within the framework of localising therapeutic services inside the country, was followed up.
For his part, the Minister of Health pointed to the increasing challenges faced by medical centres, about managing costs in light of the commitment to improving the standards of therapeutic services, and the increasing cases of chronic diseases such as heart disease, which have witnessed a rise in the recent period.
The Minister urged those gathered to continue coordination to speed up financial procedures, so that medical centres can complete the implementation of surgical operations for patients awaiting scheduled operations on waiting lists.
The meeting also included the directors of the Administrative, Financial and Legal Affairs Departments, the Internal Audit Office, the General Financial Controller’s Office, and the Head of the Documentary Credits Department.
