TUNISIAN HEALTH MINISTER DISCUSSES CHALLENGES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000928 SIPDIS FOR NEA/MAG (HAYES) AND OES (SENSENEY AND LAWRENCE) PLEASE PASS TO NIH/NIAID (STEPHEN SMITH) AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB (BHALLA) E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2019 TAGS: AMED PINR PREL SOCI TS SUBJECT: TUNISIAN HEALTH MINISTER DISCUSSES CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES Classified by Ambassador Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador and Minister of Public Health Mondher Zenaidi discussed on December 17 Tunisia's health achievements, its efforts to reform the health insurance system and prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus, and the opportunities for enhanced cooperation on health. The minister highlighted an upcoming "Health Tunisia" conference in March 2010 that could provide a venue for U.S. companies to seek business opportunities. End summary. -------------- Tunisia's Health Care Accomplishments -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a December 17 courtesy call, the Ambassador discussed Tunisia's health sector with Minister of Public Health Mondher Zenaidi. Focusing on Tunisia's accomplishments, Zenaidi said that Tunisia boasts one doctor per 800 inhabitants; it has eradicated diseases such as malaria, bilharzia, cholera, and polio; it has established basic health clinics within five kilometers of every residence; and its health insurance system covers 95 percent of the population. He described Tunisia as a major "medical tourism" destination where European state-run health systems outsource medical procedures as a cost-saving measure. He added that Tunisia's pharmaceutical industry is growing and currently covers 47 percent of local demand. As for future plans, Zenaidi said the Ministry planned to follow its 2009 anti-tobacco campaign with a broader anti-cancer public awareness effort in 2010. -------------- -------------- A Challenging Dossier: H1N1 and Insurance Reform -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador raised Tunisia's management of the H1N1 virus, commenting that the government's proactive stance appeared to be working. He also asked about the state-run health insurance system, which has undergone a major restructuring since 2007. Zenaidi, recalling the Government of Tunisia's massive H1N1 media campaign, characterized Tunisia's experience with the H1N1 virus as "a good opportunity to raise public health awareness." On health insurance, he said that the Tunisian system was already providing coverage to 95 percent of the population. The challenge, he said, was to maintain a strong and viable public health system (alongside the growing private system) that would continue to train doctors and provide quality health services for poor Tunisians. -------------- Room for Enhanced U.S.-Tunisia Cooperation -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Noting the successful U.S. cooperation efforts with Tunisian military hospitals and with the Institut Pasteur de Tunis, the Ambassador said he hoped to see more opportunities for bilateral cooperation in health. He highlighted the emphasis on science and technology in the President's Cairo Speech. Minister Zenaidi agreed, and added that the upcoming "Health Tunisia" conference in March 2010 would provide a venue for U.S. companies to seek business opportunities. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Spiraling health care costs, a deteriorating public hospital system, and the threat of an H1N1 outbreak make it ever more difficult for the GOT to maintain its traditional paternalist role as the guardian of public health. This tough dossier has been entrusted to a heavyweight in the ruling Democratic Constitutional Rally party and four-time minister (since 1994 he has headed the ministries of Transport, Tourism, Commerce, and Health). In this meeting it was clear that Zenaidi approaches these challenges not as a doctor but as a results-driven manager and trusted problem-solver. He is also a public figure, seeking to reassure an anxious public that the government will address its complaints on public insurance while protecting it from the spread of the H1N1 virus. End comment. GRAY