Health and Education

Having made considerable gains in health care provision over the past five decades, Algeria has been undergoing a transition in terms of its health challenges. Under the current 2009-14 five-year plan, the government had pledged $6.2bn for the establishment of new health infrastructure, including 1500 new facilities. Renovation of existing facilities is also being undertaken, coordinated with a certain level of decentralisation to allow the management of health efforts to become more autonomous in the regions. Algeria continues to put a strong emphasis on improving provision of education across the country. A decade has passed since the beginning of educational reform, and authorities are now cementing new practices and aiming to understand which elements need further work. Expansion of infrastructure and continued teacher training should also help to improve standards.

This chapter contains interviews with Yiğit Gürçay, Senior Vice-President and Area Director – MENA, GlaxoSmithKline; and Abdelhak Lamiri, President, Groupe INSIM