Tunisia’s National Council of the Order of Physicians (CNOM) announced a cooperation agreement on the mobility of doctors with Libya.
CNOM explained that this comes amid the Libyan General Medical Council (LGMC) issuing a statement in which it “regrets seeing Tunisian physicians travel frequently to Libya, and practice medicine without a permit.”
CNOM pointed out that an agreement was reached in March to establish a system that “guarantees effective joint action, in respect of the law and preserves the rights of patients and physicians of the Maghreb medical associations.”
A meeting involving CNOM and a high-level Libyan delegation led by the association’s president and a health ministry representative is set to be held soon in Tunis.
On Friday, CNOM President Ridha Dhaoui told TAP that Tunisian physicians wishing to practise in Libya need to obtain prior authorisation from LGMC.
On Wednesday, the Head of the General Syndicate of Libyan Doctors (LGMC), Mohamed Al-Ghouj confirmed that they will file a complaint to the Attorney General, to demand an increase in the salaries of medical and paramedical staff.
In press statements, Al-Ghouj claimed that “Libyan doctors are in a state of discontent due to the complete inaction shown by the Government of National Unity (GNU), and its failure to meet their demands.”
He added that the Syndicate of Libyan Doctors in Libya intends to file a lawsuit against the GNU, headed by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba. This is to “obtain what they see as their legitimate rights, and to improve the health services provided to Libyans.” This comes after months of protests and sit-ins, which they described as “unproductive”.
“We completely reject the unfair unified salary scale. We also call on the competent authorities to quickly re-evaluate salaries, in accordance with academic qualifications and seniority,” he added.
Al-Ghouj warned of the resignation of a large number of medical workers, with officials evading their requests for years.
