The document provides an overview of Libya's national healthcare system, including its structure, resources, and performance indicators. It notes that Libya has achieved many health goals but the system faces weaknesses like poor management, lack of data and planning, and uneven resource distribution. It identifies opportunities like increased funding and private sector growth, as well as threats such as human resource shortages and high rates of injuries and disease. Priorities for reform include restructuring human resources, improving facilities, adopting management protocols, strengthening coordination and information systems, and focusing on public health programs.

1. The Libyan National Health Care SystemThe Libyan National Health Care System
Overview and SWOT AnalysisOverview and SWOT Analysis
By: Ghada ElmasuriBy: Ghada Elmasuri
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial SurgeryDepartment of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Tripoli Medical CenterTripoli Medical Center

2. The Libyan National Health Care SystemThe Libyan National Health Care System
 Country profile
 The Health System
 Health Indicators
 SWOT Analysis
 Health priorities
 Conclusion
 References

3. Country ProfileCountry Profile
 The 4th largest African country (1.775 million sq.km)
 Located in the center of North Africa, with the
longest Mediterranean coastline of about 2000 km.
 Bordered by Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria and
Tunisia.

4. Country ProfileCountry Profile
 Capital : Tripoli (Tarabulus) pop. est. 1.68 million

5. Natural ResourcesNatural Resources
 Oil is the backbone of the Libyan economy,
natural gas, gypsum
 An OPEC member and holds the largest oil
reserves in Africa

6. Population & DemographyPopulation & Demography
Population (in
millions(
Selected Years, 1960–
2009
1.3 1960
2.0 1970
3.0 1980
4.3 1990
5.2 2000
5.7 2009
Population Growth Rate: 2.216% (2008 est )

7. Libya's Ethnic GroupsLibya's Ethnic Groups
Arabs

8. LanguagesLanguages
 Arabic is the official Language, Barber,
 Italian , English are widely understood in the major cities

9. ReligionsReligions
 100% Sunni Muslim

10. The Libyan Health Care SystemThe Libyan Health Care System

11. The Libyan Health CareThe Libyan Health Care
SystemSystem
 The public health system operates on several levels:
• The 1st
level consists of the basic health care units, providing curative and
preventive services for 5.000 to 10.000 citizens.
• The 2nd
level comprises the basic health care centers, serving 10,000 to 26,000
citizens.
• The 3rd
level consists of the polyclinics. Staffed by specialized physicians, containing
laboratories, radiological services and a pharmacy, these polyclinics serving about
50,000 to 60,000 citizens.
• At the 4th
level, there are hospitals in rural areas and the central hospitals in urban
areas.
• The 5th
level comprises the specialized hospitals.

12. Organization Structure Of Libyan MOHOrganization Structure Of Libyan MOH
Ministry of Health
Minister of
Health
Secretary
General
Management
administrative & financial affair
Awareness& education
Planning
Medical services& equipments
Pharmaceuticals products
i Primary health care
National services
Projects
Emergency &first aid services
Offices
Ministry affair
Legal affair
Technical cooperation
Internal assessment
workforce
Follow up

13. Total expenditure on health of % of GDP

14. Health Expenditure indicators (2007est WHO)Health Expenditure indicators (2007est WHO)
Total expenditure on health (per capita( 223
Total expenditure on health of % of GDP
3.7
General government expenditure on health as
%of total health expenditure
69.5%
Ministry of health budget as % of government
budget
7%
Source: Statistical report summary on the main health
indicators.

15. Human and physical resources indicators 2007Human and physical resources indicators 2007
Physicians per 10000 population
25
Dentists per 10000 population 2.7
Pharmacists per 10000 population 8
Nursing and midwifery personnel
50
No of graduated medical students 13050
No of graduated dental students
No of pharmaceutical graduated
4560
3022
Source: Statistical report summary on the main health
indicators.

16. Human and physical resources indicators 2007Human and physical resources indicators 2007
Source: Statistical report summary on the main health
indicators.
Specialized hospitals 25
General hospitals 21
Rural hospitals 32
Central hospitals 19
Total no. of public hospitals 96
Primary haelth care facilities 1177
Beds per 10 000 population 39
Total no. of beds in public hospitals 20289
PHC facilities per 10 000 2.3

17. The Libyan National Health Care SystemThe Libyan National Health Care System

18. StrengthStrength
1. 11 of 12 global indicators of Health for All by 2000 were believed to be achieved
by the end of last century in Libya
2. The motto of Libyan health policy is "health for all by all“. Basic &
comprehensive health care including rehabilitation, disability and old-age benefits
are provided to all citizens free of charge. The goal of this policy is to create a
society in which every member can play an active role, both socially and
economically, and in which services are equally distributed among the whole
population.
3. The proportion of imported HR in Libya has dropped from >80% in the 70s to
<8% in 2005.

19. WeaknessWeakness
1. Poor management: the predominant form of management in the Libyan
health sector is lassez fair –management (hands off).
2. Poor inter sectoral cooperation and coordination and absence of
comprehensive national programs.
 Ex. the main cause of death in children after the first year of life is road
traffic accidents as there is no inter sectoral cooperation and coordination
with the education, transport, circulation and civil engineering sections.

20. WeaknessWeakness
3. Absence of a national health information
system, absence of health system research as
an integral part of national health
development resulted in poor and
uninformed decisions, poor planning and
evaluation
 Libya produced only 2.4 health publications
4. Poor data-information-intelligence cycle and
surveillance

21. WeaknessWeakness
5. For a small population scattered over the vast
geographical area, the potential of e-health
solutions as electronic medical records for
health service management and telemedicine
are not yet applied in health.
6. Poor planning and evaluation and low quality
impact assessment, duplicated efforts, and waste
of time and resources
 Ex. Projects only limited to buildings and
construction of hospitals.

22. WeaknessWeakness
7. Bias towards rural areas and
concentration of local human
resources in certain regions.
 Ex. Tripoli Medical Center a public
hospital in Tripoli with 1500 beds,
>3000 physicians , Dentists , medical
Auxillaries. The Libyan government
allocated a budget of 250 million
Dollars that formed (7%) of the total
health budget expenditure.

23. WeaknessWeakness
8. About $100-200 million are spent annually
by the Goverment for medical treatment of
Libyan citizens abroad.
9. More is spent as an out of pocket payment
by Libyans traveling for treatment to
neighboring countries and Europe.

24. OpportunitiesOpportunities
1. The gradual reintegration of Libya into the international economy, leading to better
availability of medicines and health technologies.
2. Health care is available to all citizens free of charge by the public sector.
3. A growing private health sector is emerging and health insurance is being considered.
4. The country boasts the highest literacy and educational rates in Africa.
5. The Government is substantially increasing the development budget for health
services.
6. Clear-cut and comprehensive strategies have been prepared for HIV/AID and TB.

25. ThreatsThreats
1. Lack of human resources for health planning
and management.
2. Coordination among national institution is a
challenge.
3. Lack of procedures and application
management protocols.
4. The high prevalence of smoking “more than
30% of the adult male population smoke
regularly”.

26. ThreatsThreats
5. High mortality and disability rates (13%) due to road traffic Injuries( 4–5
deaths per day and even

27. ThreatsThreats
6. Increasing incidence of AIDS and hepatitis duo to illegal immegration.

28. Priorities for transforming the Libyan HealthHealth
Care SystemCare System
1. Restructuring of medical and paramedical human resources through
redistribution of human resources and training of necessary cadres.
2. Improving, updating and developing health facilities, including
developing some health delivery points into health centers.
3. Adopting health care management protocols.
4. Co-ordination and integration and improving the health information
system.
5. Focusing on public health programmers.

29. ReferencesReferences
The Work of WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Human World Development Indicators 2004 Development Report, New York,
UNDP,2006.
Library of Congress – Federal Research Division- http://lcweb2.loc.gov
http://news.bbc.co.uk Libyan National Health Services
The Need to Move to Management-by-Objectives(www.ljm.org.ly)
 http://www.health.gov.ly
http:looklex.com/e.o/libya.htm
Country Cooperation Strategy for WHO and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 2005–
2009