Finnish experts help Libya rebuild its health service system

Tasked by the WHO, Finnish health care experts have assessed the health service system in post-civil war Libya. The Finnish team worked for 6 months in cooperation with local and international experts and drafted assessment reports on arranging the mental health services and the development of the primary health care system in Libya. 
 
The reports were delivered to the Libyan Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization in the National Health Systems Conference held last week in Tripoli.
 

Dr. Marina Erhola, Assistant Director General, THL with Ms.Fatima Hamroush, Minister of Health, Dr Adel Abu Azza, Director of Tripoli Mental Health Hospital

Challenge ahead: high quality, enduring and realistic health reform

In the conference the Finns presented several Finnish, Nordic and European models for organizing the health service system. THL Assistant Director General Marina Erhola, who chaired the Finnish team, was delighted with the immense enthusiasm felt among the participating Libyan health care professionals towards the health reform.

The conference brought together local Libyan health professionals and expatriates, offering for the first time in years a forum to exchange views and discuss the situation of the health service system. 
 
The Libyan Ministry of Health faces high expectations toward formulating the health policy, as well as implementing and coordinating the service system reform. To achieve the goal, actions are required in regard to administration, financing, staff, the service system, information system and medicinal care.

Finnish public health expertise is well-known

Libyans respect the Finnish team’s work and the general expertise in mental health services and chronic disease prevention.  Future cooperation with the WHO, the Libyan National Public Health Institute and THL in this context may arise.   
 
The Finnish expert mission was funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs as part of the transition support targeted for the North African countries. THL International Affairs Unit was responsible for organizing the visits.

More information

Marina Erhola
Assistant Director General
THL
Tel.  +358 29 524 6007 tai  +358 40 1834295
firstname.lastname@thl.fi

Marja Anttila
Senior Expert
THL, International Affairs Unit
Tel. +358 29 524 7045
firstname.lastname@thl.fi
 
Risto Veltheim
Finland’s Special Envoy to the Libyan Transition Process
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Tel. +358 40 748 2697
National Health Systems Conference