Algeria’s healthcare system is structured around a dominant, government-funded public sector complemented by a growing but limited private sector. The governance framework has recently undergone significant reforms to specialize the oversight of the pharmaceutical industry, reflecting a strategic national focus on this sector.

The public healthcare sector is tax-funded and provides most healthcare services ranging from heavily subsidised to free at the point of delivery, for nationals and residents with valid health insurance. Ministère de la Santé, de la Population et de la Réforme Hospitalière (MSPRH), The Ministry of Health and Hospital Reform) oversees the national network of public hospitals and clinics, organized into 185 health districts, comprising a wide network that includes 16 university hospitals and approximately 586
public hospitals. However, the quality of care is limited by factors such as staff shortages, insufficient medical specialists and limited infrastructure in certain regions. Operational efficiency within the system is also hindered by administrative bureaucracy as hospital managers have limited autonomy and must obtain central approval for many decisions. A number of public national insurance schemes provide social security coverage to approximately 85% of the country’s population ensuring access to basic healthcare services.