Medical students protest Algeria hospital failures

Medical students across Algeria have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the collapsing state of the country’s public hospitals. Protests erupted in Algiers, Oran, Constantine and Tlemcen, where students—wearing white coats—marched toward university hospitals and regional health directorates. At the heart of their anger is the chronic underfunding, shortage of equipment and staff, and lack of career prospects in the public health sector. According to the Algerian Students’ Union, over 3,000 students participated in Algiers alone last month, chanting slogans such as “Healthcare is a right, not a privilege” and “Tebboune, hear our cry.”

The demonstrations follow a pattern seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, when medical students were drafted into service without proper protection or pay. That experience deepened their frustration with Algeria’s health system, already under strain from years of underinvestment. Sadek Belhimer, a third-year medicine student at the University of Algiers, told local journalists that students are now refusing to accept internships in public hospitals due to safety and hygiene concerns. “We trained for years to save lives,” Belhimer said, “but we’re being asked to work in facilities that lack basic supplies like gloves and disinfectants.”

The protests highlight a widening gap between Algeria’s growing medical education system and its aging hospital infrastructure. Algeria has more than 30 medical schools today, producing over 5,000 graduates annually—yet public hospitals in cities like Algiers, Oran and Annaba still rely on equipment from the 1980s. A 2023 report by the Ministry of Health acknowledged that 60% of hospital beds in university clinics are non-functional due to maintenance delays. In Oran, the Ibn Rochd Hospital, designed for 800 beds, now operates at half capacity after a major power outage last year damaged its oxygen supply system for weeks.

Health Minister Abdelhak Saihi has pledged to modernize 120 hospitals by 2026, but critics say these plans lack transparency and funding. A recent audit by the Court of Auditors found that only 15% of allocated health funds were actually disbursed in 2024 due to bureaucratic delays. Meanwhile, private hospital chains like Clinique El Kettar in Algiers are expanding rapidly, treating patients who can afford to pay. This dual system is widening inequality in access to care, with wealthier Algerians increasingly bypassing public hospitals altogether.

For the Algerian diaspora, the crisis presents both a moral call and a business opportunity. Many doctors and nurses in France, Canada and the Gulf have expressed frustration at being unable to return due to restrictive licensing rules and low salaries in Algeria. The national order of doctors in Algiers recently raised the salary cap for specialists to 120,000 Algerian dinars per month (around $900), still far below European standards. Some expatriate professionals are exploring telemedicine ventures, connecting Algerian patients with diaspora doctors online—a niche that could grow if regulatory barriers ease.

Entrepreneurs in Algeria are also eyeing the healthcare gap. Startups like MedTlemcen and DZ MedTech are offering digital health platforms, while investors are eyeing niche areas like dialysis equipment and laboratory supplies. But high import tariffs and centralization of procurement through state-owned enterprises like SONATRACH’s health affiliate remain barriers. A recent tender for MRI machines attracted only two bidders—both foreign—due to local production bottlenecks.

The government’s failure to address the crisis has fueled calls for reform among civil society groups. The Algerian League for Human Rights recently filed a complaint with the UN over the “systematic neglect” of public hospitals. Meanwhile, medical students are organizing sit-ins in front of the Ministry of Health in Algiers, demanding immediate upgrades to teaching hospitals where they train.

With Algeria’s population aging and chronic diseases on the rise, the health crisis is no longer just a social issue—it’s an economic one. Delayed surgeries, preventable deaths and brain drain among medical professionals are draining productivity. The World Bank estimates that Algeria’s healthcare inefficiencies cost the economy $1.2 billion annually in lost labor and productivity.

Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
The hospital crisis is creating demand for private and digital health solutions in Algeria. Diaspora professionals could launch telemedicine platforms or import medical equipment through partnerships. However, bureaucratic hurdles and low purchasing power remain obstacles. Investors should focus on scalable models that bypass public procurement delays.