Libya spends billions of dinars annually on treating its citizens abroad, due to the weakness of its domestic healthcare system. However, this sector is often marred by corruption, and exploited by some Libyans and individuals in foreign countries for illegitimate financial gains.
A recent corruption case was uncovered in a report by the German newspaper “Stuttgart & Umgebung.” The report highlights a financial scandal involving manipulated medical treatment costs for 370 injured Libyans, as seen in the Stuttgart Regional Court.
The German judge presiding over the case, Hans-Jürgen Wenzler of the Stuttgart Regional Court’s 20th Chamber for Economic Crimes, described the situation as a “pigsty.” He pointed to the chaos and embezzlement that pervaded the case, where invoices were tampered with, and bribes were hidden in inflated treatments, with millions of euros being suspiciously transferred.
According to the report, the manipulation of bills in German hospitals was intended to obtain an extra €7 million euros from the Libyan Embassy. However, a woman from Berlin exposed the fraud, and reported it to the Embassy.
Despite the exposure of the fraud, millions of euros were transferred without objection, often appearing as hasty notes on invoices, either abroad or to a checking account of a patient companion’s mother.
This isn’t the first instance of corruption in the treatment of Libyans abroad. Significant corruption cases was found in the treatment of Libyan children with autism, and cancer patients in Jordanian hospitals.
The Libyan Public Prosecutor’s Office at the time revealed investigations proving forgery in service data for Libyan patients in Jordan, aiming to collect around $436 million dollars.
Libya struggles with a weak and deteriorating healthcare system, compounded by the inexperience of healthcare workers, administrative chaos, and a decade of turmoil in the country.
Many Libyan medical facilities and hospitals have been bombed, and destroyed during the wars over the last decade. The armed conflict also led to the departure of many foreign medical teams from the country.
Observers believe that the corrupt individuals in the Libyan healthcare sector are hindering the development of domestic healthcare. They allegedly prefer overseas treatments, due to the financial gains from manipulating treatment bills.