The health sector in Bouira, Algeria, is facing significant challenges due to a lack of infrastructure and qualified personnel. Despite a recent announcement about a new hospital project, several other important projects remain stalled or halted. These include new hospitals planned for M'Chedallah, Aïn Bessem, and Bordj Okhriss, as well as a polyclinic in Ath Leqsar. These projects are crucial for the local population, who are eagerly awaiting their completion.
The sector's shortcomings are evident in the insufficient number of specialist doctors at the five hospitals in the wilaya. As a result, patients often seek medical attention from private clinics, which have proliferated in recent years. The local population has taken to protesting to demand the resumption of stalled projects, including a hospital in M'Chedallah. In the summer, residents organized a march to push for the project's revival, but construction halted after the contract with the initial construction company was suspended.
The hospital project in M'Chedallah, which was supposed to have 120 beds, had reached a 50% completion rate before work stopped. Despite assurances from local authorities, no new company has been designated to complete the project. A similar scenario is unfolding with the polyclinic in Ath Leqsar, which has been stalled since 2014 with a 70% completion rate. A new company was appointed in September, and a budget was allocated, but work has yet to resume.
According to sources close to the matter, the new company assigned to the polyclinic project contested the allocated financial envelope and refused to restart work. An investigation was launched following an instruction from the Wali of Bouira, but the local population remains impatient for the project's revival. The projects for new hospitals in Aïn Bessem (120 beds) and Bordj Okhriss (90 beds) are also stagnating, with no progress reported despite numerous solicitations from local residents.
Other projects in the wilaya, such as the construction of a paramedical school in the capital and an annex of the Pasteur Institute in Sour El Ghozlane, have been frozen for several years. The health sector's challenges in Bouira are multifaceted, and addressing them will require concerted efforts from local authorities and stakeholders. The population is eagerly awaiting tangible progress on these projects.
The projects' stagnation has significant implications for the local population, who are forced to seek medical attention outside of the wilaya or rely on private healthcare services. The authorities' inability to complete these projects has led to frustration and disappointment among residents. Efforts to revive these projects and address the health sector's shortcomings are essential to improving healthcare services in Bouira.
The Wali of Bouira's instruction to investigate the polyclinic project's stalling is a step towards resolving the issue. However, more needs to be done to address the root causes of the delays and ensure the completion of these vital projects. The local population's demands for better healthcare services must be addressed through concrete actions and a commitment to delivering these projects.
Key points
- Several health projects in Bouira, Algeria, are stalled or halted due to various issues, including funding and contractor disputes.
- The health sector in Bouira faces significant challenges, including a lack of infrastructure and qualified personnel.
- The local population is eagerly awaiting the completion of these projects, which are crucial for improving healthcare services in the region.
