Member of the Libyan House of Representatives Jabballah Al-Shaibani has warned that soaring medicine prices in private pharmacies are placing unbearable pressure on patients and their families.
In a statement posted on his Facebook account, Al-Shaibani said the decline in healthcare services across the country, combined with the sharp rise in drug prices, is heavily burdening citizens. He described the situation as turning the lives of many patients into “an unbearable hell,” particularly in the absence of comprehensive health insurance coverage for most sectors.
Al-Shaibani called on the government to take urgent action by importing medicines directly and distributing them through pharmacies affiliated with public hospitals. He proposed that drugs be dispensed to patients via medical prescriptions at a reasonable profit margin — or free of charge where possible — under clear regulations, precise monitoring systems, and continuous oversight to ensure fair distribution.
The lawmaker stressed that the current situation poses broader risks to Libya’s healthcare system, including efforts to localize medical treatment, ongoing medical supply challenges, the plight of wounded patients, and the mounting costs of treatment abroad. He warned that failure to address medicine affordability could deepen existing health and social hardships faced by Libyan families.
The remarks come amid growing public concern over access to affordable healthcare and the sustainability of Libya’s medical supply chains.
