The exodus of Algerian doctors is accelerating. In 20 years, Algeria has lost 20,000 doctors, according to Dr. Mohamed Yousfi, president of the Syndicate of specialists practicing public health. And the bleeding continues.
On Saturday, the president of the National Union of Public Health Practitioners, Dr. Lyes Merabet threw a real paving stone into the Algerian health system.
He revealed that 1,200 Algerian doctors were preparing to leave Algeria for France, after passing the equivalence test. An announcement that revived the debate on the socio-professional situation of doctors in Algeria and the brain drain.
Algeria continues to empty itself of its gray matter. In addition to the doctors who leave by the hundreds, even thousands, Algeria is losing its engineers in various fields: IT, public works, building, etc. No profession resists foreign recruiters, especially since the conditions of remuneration and living conditions in Algeria push these executives to leave the country.
As far as doctors are concerned, Health Minister Abderrahmane Benbouzid reacted on Saturday to the announcement of the imminent departure of 1,200 Algerian doctors abroad.
Benbouzid’s explanations
He offered explanations. “ This phenomenon does not only concern Algeria,” he said in an interview with Ennahar TV. The Minister cited countries like India and Egypt which are also losing their doctors and engineers overseas. To cope with the exodus of Algerian doctors, Prof. Benbouzid deemed it essential to reform the health system.
“In hospitals, many doctors have passed retirement age and are still working. They do not allow the new generation to replace them. This is why we have no positions for young doctors. There are many problems in the health sector. There is a file at the level of the Prime Minister to apply the law. Anyone who is about to retire has to go out and if we need them, we will call on them.
In hospitals and for some specialists, “there is no competition”. “In certain specialties. Doctors prefer the private sector. For example, in some cities there is only one gynecologist who has to be on call every day, radiology, resuscitation, we don’t have,” he explained.
