Crisis in Tunisia Due to Medication Shortage
A reduction in imports due to Tunisia’s financial crisis has made hundreds of medications inaccessible for patients with chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The absence of medical supplies has forced patients to turn to European doctors at the recommendation of their doctors in Tunisia, according to Middle East Online.
“The issue of missing medicine has become very hard for patients. We have a real problem with some medicines for which there are no generics available,” said Douha Maaoui Faourati, a doctor in Tunis.
Naoufel Amira, the head of Tunisia’s Syndicate of Pharmacies, has attributed the problem to Tunisia’s financial difficulties. In the past year, the country has found itself dealing with a variety of shortages due to economic distress, such as fuel, wheat, and dairy deficiencies.
READ: Fuel shortages and panic buying plague in Tunisia
The state-owned Central Pharmacy is responsible for all medical imports, then sending the supplies to hospitals and pharmacies across the country at a subsidized rate. However, the Central Pharmacy owes about 1 billion dinars ($325 million) to European suppliers, and the public insurance companies and hospitals are delaying their bill payments for up to a year, according to Amira.
Tunisia is currently requesting a $1.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout to avoid defaulting on sovereign debt payments, but discussions have reportedly stalled due to President Kais Saied’s rejection of key components of the deal.
READ: Tunisia is granted $500 million loan from African bank
In the meantime, Tunisian patients are forced to look for other options to obtain necessary medications. Retired soldier Nabil Boukhili is operating an unofficial medicine exchange for his neighborhood in coordination with local doctors from the rooftop of his house, and he reports that the exchange receives dozens of visitors daily.
Middle East On line
