Health & Education
From The Report: Tunisia 2019
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With a growing demand for services from both nationals and foreigners, the health sector remains a crucial pillar of Tunisia’s economy. The country’s low health care costs are a key competitive advantage, attracting patients from Africa and Europe. However, many challenges need to be addressed before the sector can realise its full potential. To this end, the raft of investments is expected to improve the quality and provision of care. As enrolment rates decline due to social and demographic changes, the education sector must shift its focus to raising the standard of teaching, ensuring young people remain in education and improving student performance. The demographic transition may also help to ease graduate unemployment rates, acting as a catalyst for changes to education policy. This will prove essential to matching graduate qualifications to the needs of the job market. This chapter contains interviews with Sara Masmoudi, President, National Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries; and Houbeb Ajmi, Regional CEO, Honoris Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Path to recovery: Investments are aimed at overhauling the public health system
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Since gaining independence in the 1950s, Tunisia has prioritised the development of its health care system and has introduced basic services to a large share of its population. Nevertheless, the system is currently in need of pressing reforms to improve the quality of its services, particularly in the public sector. To this end, a reform announced by the government in March 2019 is set to overhaul the system and strengthen Tunisia’s position as a medical centre for Africa. Structure &…

Interview

Levelling the field: Sara Masmoudi, President, National Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries, on next-generation pharmaceuticals
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Interview:Sara Masmoudi How is the pharmaceutical industry impacted by trade agreements with partners such as the EU? SARA MASMOUDI: Authorities are currently considering the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU, which unfortunately would not support the development of technology and the transfer of knowledge in the pharmaceutical industry. Instead, it would accentuate the asymmetry between the EU and Tunisia, in favour of the EU. First, the Tunisian pharmaceutical industry…

Overview

Investing in health: Advances in medical technology solutions lead to improved patient care and cost savings
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Rising health care costs, ageing populations and changing lifestyles in emerging economies are stoking demand for medical technology (medtech) solutions. These entail not only smart devices that remotely monitor and transmit biometric data, but any instance of technology that assists in the delivery of health services. While these initiatives are under way around the world, there are significant differences in the speed and scale of medtech adoption across emerging markets. UBS Investment Bank estimates that the collective value of health care in emerging markets will grow 6.3% annually over the next decade – double the rate of developed…

Overview

Raising standards: Schools and universities shift their focus from quantity to quality to improve student performance
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Since its independence in 1956 Tunisia’s education system has undergone a series of reforms. Under former President Habib Bourguiba, the first leader of the Tunisian Republic, the first reforms were introduced to make education free and universal. As a result, the literacy rate rose significantly over the subsequent decades: from 15.3% in 1956, to 68.3% in 1994 and 80.9% in 2018. In 1991 schooling was made compulsory until the age of 16, and by 2019 almost all children were enrolled in…

Interview

Competitor in training: Houbeb Ajmi, Regional CEO, Honoris Group, on strengthening the private tertiary segment
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Interview:Houbeb Ajmi What steps can be taken to strengthen private higher education in Tunisia? HOUBEB AJMI: Private Tunisian universities are mostly managed by former academics who have chosen to create their own institutions. As demand for private higher education grows, it is necessary to improve their performance. Students are increasingly turning to private schools in the hope of finding higher-quality education that will make a difference in the job market. Particular focus is needed…