Supporting the EU with Health System Strengthening in Tunisia

Overview

Funded by the European Union in Tunisia, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Essaha Aziza program aims to expand universal coverage of essential front-line care to all citizens across 13 governorates. The program started in 2017 and continues to 2025.

Problem

The remote nature of the locations, movement restrictions due to COVID-19, and the associated infrastructure, communication and transportation challenges required thoughtful planning. Our response was to establish robust communication between all key contractual players including the EU delegation, Ministry of Health in Tunisia and end-user sites, as well as maintaining on-the-ground presence, to engage with key stakeholders directly.

Solution

International SOS was contracted to supply, install and commission 36 lines of medical equipment as well as provide end-user training. The program covered 200 locations comprising 13 governorates in Tunisia. The product line was wide-ranging and includes laboratory, imaging, dental and endoscopy equipment.

Impact

Despite the size and complexity of the program, International SOS successfully delivered the required medical equipment, on time and to budget. This included mammography equipment in three key regions and full dental clinic delivery with dental X-Ray in all 13 governorates. All equipment passed the required compliance and conformity checks and met EU quality standards. For the technical and funding partners, this represents a major milestone in the project lifecycle and sets the foundation for the next phase of the program.