Tunisia-Boukaer Zakhama: Private clinics have stopped accepting Libyan patients for years

The president of the Union Chamber of Private Clinics under UTICA, Boubaker Zakhama maintained that private clinics have stopped accepting Libyan patients for years, stating they are incapable to settle their debts. He indicated that the quality of health services given by Tunisia to foreigners is excellent and upholds international standards.

He added that many Libyan patients were sent to other nations, such as Turkey, but these later returned to Tunisia because they were not content with the quality of care in those countries. Zakhama further considered that he would have hoped that the Libyan side would appreciate the sacrifices made by the Tunisian clinics, which at a particular time treated Libyans for free, evoking that the debts of the Libyan state had accumulated in particular because of the payment method.

Indeed, at one time the clinic forwarded an invoice to the Libyan consulate or embassy for the patient to be taken care of by the Libyan state and for payment to take place after the patient was gone.