Name: Libya healthcare: Cancer patents suffer from shortage of medicine
Uploaded: 2026-01-02T16:06:08.283Z
Duration: 2 min 33 s
Description: More than 28,000 cancer patients are registered in Libya, as state health centers face a severe shortage of medication.

More than 28,000 cancer patients are registered in Libya, as state health centers face a severe shortage of medication.

Sabratah

Cancer patients at the Sabratah Cancer Medical Center, one of Libya's five state health centers, are experiencing severe shortages of essential medicines. Of the country's 28,000 registered cancer patients, 4,300 receive treatment at this facility, but only 50 to 60 percent of required medicines are supplied by the state. 

Many patients are forced to purchase expensive medicines privately, often exceeding their monthly incomes, and express distrust in the health system. The government has created the National Cancer Control Authority to address the crisis, but ongoing challenges with pharmaceutical suppliers and the impact of prolonged conflict continue to hinder improvements.

Libya healthcare: Cancer patents suffer from shortage of medicine

About 80 kilometers west of Tripoli lies the Sobrata Cancer Medical Center. It's one of five state health centers in Libya. Of the 28,000 cancer patients registered in the country, 4,300 get their treatment here. While the state is supposed to provide treatment for those suffering, medicine and resources here are scarce. Officials at this center say only 50 to 60 percent of the medicine patients need are provided by the state. Turkiya Mansour was supposed to have her chemotherapy session last month, but her medicine wasn't available. I bought my medicine today for $185. I was supposed to take it last month, but I couldn't afford it. I just bought it today, and there's still other medicines I had to buy myself. My message to officials is for them to provide us with our medicine. Al-Ghmeisi Mohammed needs chemotherapy every two weeks. He's had to borrow money to buy his medicine privately. My medicine today cost me $130. The last time I paid, $130. After two weeks, I need to pay another $130. My salary is only $250. What am I supposed to do? People here say they have a serious lack of trust in the health system, and the shortage of medicine is a matter of life and death. As most people can't afford to buy the treatments they need on the private market. Many patients here tell us they feel trapped, scared, and desperate, and blame the authorities for not doing enough. To improve services for patients, the government recently established the National Cancer Control Authority. Haider Al-Sayah is its director. He says starting in January, there shouldn't be any more shortages, but there are still challenges. There are some pharmaceutical companies that refuse to deal with the Libyan state for different reasons. Libya is considered a small market for them. Or in the past, they had payment issues before the authority was created. We're trying to build credibility with them and convince them to sell their medicine. Libya has Africa's largest crude oil reserves and should be a prosperous country. But more than a decade of conflict and political divisions have had a devastating impact on an already crippled health sector. People here say they're not interested in hearing promises or excuses from officials, and want to get the treatment they need now. Malek Treina, Al Jazeera, Sabrata.

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