Libya health officials inspect Tripoli hospitals amid reform plan

Libya is undergoing a reform to its health sector, spearheaded by the country’s prime minister in Tripoli, according to local reports.

On March 13, according to The Libya Observer, a team from Libya’s Ministry of Health conducted field inspection visits to the Tripoli Children’s Teaching Hospital and the Al‑Hadba Al‑Khadra General Hospital as part of the ministry’s 100-day plan to develop the healthcare sector.

The visits focused on monitoring nursing services and meeting with medical and technical staff to discuss current challenges and ways to improve the working environment. The initiative aims to support healthcare professionals while ensuring the continuity and quality of medical services.

The inspection tours come within a broader reform strategy announced earlier this year. As reported by APA News, on February 14 Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah of the Government of National Unity launched a 100-day reform program aimed at restructuring what he described as the country’s “most problematic” sector.

According to statements from the Prime Minister’s press office, Libya’s healthcare system suffers from “deeply rooted problems” accumulated over more than three decades, including structural inefficiencies and the widespread reliance of Libyan patients on treatment abroad.

The initiative, titled “100 Days for Priority Reforms,” seeks to reorganize health services, improve performance, and restore public confidence in the national healthcare system.

Under the plan, 20 health facilities are expected to be inaugurated across the country. Among them is the Libyan Council of Medical Specialties, which will be equipped with modern training halls and technological tools. The government says the goal is to strengthen the training of specialist doctors and improve the skills of both medical and paramedical staff, ultimately reducing the need for Libyans to seek treatment abroad.

Despite the sector’s structural challenges, Libya’s healthcare system has recently recorded an important public health achievement, Libya has officially eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem.

The World Health Organization confirmed the validation on February 18, 2026, stating that Libya had met all the criteria required to demonstrate that the disease no longer represents a national public health threat. The milestone highlights the work carried out by healthcare professionals in the country despite years of political instability and conflict.

However, the new reform plan faces a major obstacle: Libya’s deep political and territorial divisions. The country remains split between rival administrations in the east and west, a fragmentation that weakens institutional oversight and makes corruption easier to sustain.

The healthcare sector itself has been affected by corruption scandals. On December 30, authorities ordered the detention of two former senior officials from Libya’s Ministry of Health after uncovering the improper disbursement of more than 86 million dinars that had been allocated for the country’s COVID-19 response.

Corruption scandals have not been limited to healthcare. Libya’s education and energy sectors have also been affected by repeated allegations of financial misconduct and mismanagement.

These ongoing problems have increasingly frustrated the Libyan population. Many citizens have lost confidence in both the western government in Tripoli and the rival authorities in the east, demanding transparent elections and stronger action against corruption.

The Libya Observer, APA News, Maghrebi.org