Tunisia's Minister of Health, Mustapha Ferjani, met with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Berlin to discuss strengthening cooperation between Tunisia and WHO. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global Health Summit. The two officials focused on improving access to healthcare and service quality across different regions of Tunisia. They explored ways to enhance healthcare services, particularly in interior regions.
Ferjani and Ghebreyesus discussed developing telemedicine and utilizing digital tools to expand healthcare services to citizens. The "One Health" approach, which considers the interplay between human, animal, and environmental health, was also examined. The two parties looked into supporting Tunisia's proposal to host a regional seat dedicated to this approach. This cooperation aims to improve healthcare delivery and address health challenges.
The meeting also covered universal health coverage (UHC), with WHO offering support for Tunisia's National Health Compact. This pact, partnered with the World Bank and Japan, seeks to finance UHC and ensure equitable access to healthcare services. Furthermore, discussions focused on assisting Tunisia's National Agency for Medicines and Health Products (ANMPS) in achieving WHO's maturity level 3. This level enhances the agency's regulatory, surveillance, and quality assurance capacities.
Ferjani reaffirmed Tunisia's support for the international pandemic agreement and the finalization of a mechanism for accessing pathogens and sharing benefits. This aims to ensure an equitable distribution of resources needed to prevent and combat pandemies. Tunisia's stance aligns with President Kaïs Saïed's initiative, for which he received the "WHO Pandemic Agreement Badge" in recognition of his role in designing and advocating for the agreement.
Ghebreyesus commended Tunisia for hosting the "TeleHealth Connect Tunisia 2026" conference and expressed willingness to support implementing its recommendations. He also plans to visit Tunisia soon. The two officials emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing healthcare challenges.
The cooperation between Tunisia and WHO reflects a shared commitment to improving healthcare. By working together, both parties aim to strengthen healthcare systems, enhance service delivery, and promote health equity. This partnership is expected to yield positive outcomes for the people of Tunisia.
The meeting between Ferjani and Ghebreyesus demonstrates the ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare cooperation between Tunisia and WHO. With a focus on digital health, universal health coverage, and medicine security, this collaboration is poised to make a meaningful impact on Tunisia's healthcare landscape.
Key points
- Tunisia and WHO are strengthening cooperation in digital health, universal health coverage, and medicine security.
- The two parties discussed developing telemedicine and utilizing digital tools to expand healthcare services.
- WHO will support Tunisia's National Health Compact and assist the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products in achieving maturity level 3.
