Health & Education

Opportunities to invest in the health care sector continue to increase as the population grows at an annual rate of 2.1%, applying pressure on existing hospital infrastructure, especially in the urban centres where 72% of the population resides. The health infrastructure has made considerable strides in recent years in a number of important areas, nevertheless, there are still challenges in providing equal access to care across Algeria’s vast territory and overcoming the shortage of medicines. In line with a sustained government budget allocated to health, attracting new investment from the private sector will be critical for meeting the growing demand for health care. In regards to education, Algeria has maintained a high level of investment in recent years, despite the general economic contraction caused by the collapse of the hydrocarbons market in 2014. While the Ministry of National Education continues to focus on improving education practices and reforming teacher training, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is concentrating on extending existing networks and institutions. This chapter contains interviews with Amine Sekhri, Country Manager, Roche Algérie; and Tahar Hadjar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.