The Ministry of Health announced the addition of new segments to the “Afia” insurance to raises its annual cost from 177 million dinars to 354 million dinars, its minister, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi, before the Parliamentary Health Committee, stated about this addition that the “MOI” had previously addressed the Ministry of Social Affairs to provide social assistance, to prepare the necessary study and estimate the expected financial cost.
Al-Awadi stressed, as stated in the committee’s report, that the addition of the new segments will result in leakage and withdrawal of qualified cadres from government hospitals, and the loss of health service providers in the public sector, stressing the need to ensure the readiness of the private sector to provide the service.
He pointed out that the ministry is studying the experiences of neighboring countries in expanding the health insurance system and circulating it to all its citizens and residents. To know the positive and negative repercussions of the experience before proceeding with this expansion.
The Health Committee ended in its report by contenting itself with adding housewives and widows who have reached 55 and 50 years of age, respectively, to the exclusion of other proposed segments such as people with disabilities and female citizens of 40 years of age, and those who receive aid.