Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah on Saturday launched a 100-day reform strategy aimed at restructuring what he described as the “most problematic” sector inherited by his government, amid persistent dysfunction and widespread reliance on medical treatment abroad.
Speaking at a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Health in Tripoli, the head of the Government of National Unity delivered a stark assessment of the country’s healthcare system.
According to statements relayed by the Prime Minister’s press service, the sector suffers from “deeply rooted problems” accumulated over more than three decades. “The Ministry of Health was the worst I inherited from the government,” Dbeibah said, estimating that between 80 and 90 percent of Libyans have sought medical care abroad at some point.
This dependence on foreign healthcare facilities reflects, in his view, the scale of domestic shortcomings, both in infrastructure and governance. Dbeibah also highlighted the lack of reliable data and effective information systems, describing them as major obstacles to strategic planning and efficient allocation of public resources.
The initiative, titled “100 Days for Priority Reforms,” seeks to restructure health services, improve performance and restore patient confidence. The PM acknowledged that patients in Libya continue to face insufficient access to quality care, calling for “considerable efforts and concrete plans” to address the situation. The program will focus in particular on administrative reorgansiation, equipment modernization and staff training.
Under the plan, 20 health facilities are set to be inaugurated across the country, according to the government’s press service. These include the Council of Medical Specialties, equipped with training halls and modern technological tools. The stated objective is to strengthen the training of specialist physicians and raise the skill level of medical and paramedical staff, ultimately reducing dependence on treatment abroad and improving healthcare provision at the national level.
MK/ak/lb/as/APA