Algeria turns to digital health to streamline patient transfers 🚑🇩🇿

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Algeria’s Ministry of Health is preparing to roll out a new digital platform designed to manage patient transfers between hospitals. The announcement was made on December 11 in Algiers by Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene during a session of the Council of the Nation focused on oral questions.

A tool to streamline and regulate medical transfers 🏥➡️🏥

According to the minister, the platform will fully digitize patient transfer operations, while aligning with existing regulations governing medical referrals. Its primary goal is to process transfer requests within reasonable timeframes, with particular attention given to cases from southern regions and the High Plateaus.

Emergency cases, he said, should receive a response in under 48 hours. Transfers will remain limited to patients who require specialized care unavailable in their home regions. By centralizing and structuring requests, the system aims to reduce unnecessary delays and improve coordination across hospitals.

The minister also addressed Algeria’s air medical evacuation system, which is currently handled by Civil Protection services, Air Algérie, and—when necessary—the military air force. He noted that this system was recently deployed to evacuate victims of a serious bus accident in Béni Abbès.

To further strengthen medical transport, the government plans to launch a national program focused on improving air evacuations. This includes setting up regional coordination hubs in southern Algeria to facilitate transfers to specialized hospitals in the north, as well as to major southern medical centers such as Tamanrasset and Touggourt. The Ministry of Health is also working to finalize a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Transport and roll out targeted training programs for medical and paramedical teams involved in patient transport.

Expanding cancer care capacity 🎗️

Ait Messaoudene also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve cancer care nationwide. The ministry continues to open new oncology units dedicated to chemotherapy across multiple hospitals. In parallel, several regional cancer centers are currently under construction, while new healthcare facilities are being equipped with radiotherapy units.

👉🏾 Do you think that digitalisation can really improve medical care in Algeria?