The World Bank has approved $125.16 million in financing, including a $17.16 million grant from the Pandemic Fund, to support Tunisia's health system through the Tunisia Health System Strengthening Project. This initiative aims to enhance pandemic preparedness and emergency care, modernize primary healthcare services, and improve governance and digitalization across the public health system.
The project aligns with Tunisia’s National Health Policy (PNS), which focuses on equitable access to care and prioritizes preventive health services. Alexandre Arrobbio, World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia, stated that the project will ensure all Tunisians can access quality care, particularly the most vulnerable. He noted that it builds on a partnership that delivered results during the COVID-19 crisis.
The initiative targets improving access to critical care and emergency services while benefiting frontline health workers through enhanced training in disease surveillance and digital systems like electronic medical records. It supports Tunisia’s development goals by strengthening public health preparedness and ensuring continuity of essential services.
Three components form the project's backbone: developing One Health surveillance systems, reorganizing community-level health services with family medicine and telemedicine expansion, and advancing urgent care infrastructure by upgrading ambulance fleets and hospital technologies.
Yassine Kalboussi, Health Specialist at the World Bank and Task Team Leader for the project, emphasized that this effort aims to transform Tunisia's health system technologically and structurally while enhancing workforce capacity.