On Thursday, Tunisia's Minister of Health, Mustafa Al-Ferjani, and Minister of Communication Technologies, Sufyan Al-Hamisi, signed the National Health Charter in the presence of several ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, and partners in the health field. This charter aims to accelerate the achievement of universal health coverage and enhance the right to health as stipulated in the 2022 constitution.
The National Health Charter focuses on six main axes: ensuring equitable digital access to health services, continuity and coordination of healthcare pathways, establishing a sovereign and secure governance for health data, updating infrastructure and digital platforms, developing skills, research, and innovation, and enhancing the security of the drug supply chain. This charter represents an agreement between the Ministry of Health and its international partners, including Japan, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank.
The charter aims to support Tunisia's efforts to achieve universal health coverage, with a focus on digital health as a key pillar. Minister Al-Ferjani emphasized that universal health coverage means ensuring access to health services for every citizen, particularly in internal regions, and enabling them to benefit from medical expertise and modern technologies through telemedicine and digitalization.
Tunisia has made significant progress in digital health transformation, with the national vaccination platform "EVAX" connecting around 2000 centers and tracking 13 million doses. The country is currently generalizing the national health identifier, shared medical file, and telemedicine nationwide after successful pilot phases.
The International Conference on Digital Health "Telehealth Connect 2026" held in Tunisia brought together over 35 countries and global experts, resulting in the "Tunis Declaration," which serves as a roadmap for enhancing cooperation in digital health. The declaration emphasizes digital sovereignty, personal data protection, and responsible use of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
Minister Al-Ferjani announced that a meeting will be held in December in Japan to discuss the roadmap for universal health coverage, in collaboration with partners, including the World Health Organization, Japan, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Tunisia's commitments under the National Health Charter will be presented at the Universal Health Coverage Summit in Tokyo in December 2026.
The National Health Charter has the support of the World Bank and the World Health Organization, representing a platform for international cooperation to support efforts to achieve universal health coverage and enhance the capacity of health systems to respond to population needs. Minister Al-Ferjani stressed that the charter's success will be measured by its impact on health services, access, continuity, and quality.
Key points
- The National Health Charter aims to accelerate universal health coverage and digital transformation in Tunisia's healthcare sector.
- The charter focuses on six main axes, including equitable digital access to health services and establishing a sovereign and secure governance for health data.
- Tunisia has made significant progress in digital health transformation, with a focus on telemedicine and digitalization to enhance access to health services.
