Tunisia has reaffirmed its commitment to regional health security by taking part in a cross-border simulation exercise on migrant health, held in Cairo from 18 to 20 August. The event, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), brought together officials from Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Tunisia.
As a key country on North Africa’s migratory routes, Tunisia faces public health challenges linked to the movement of displaced populations, including overcrowding, poor sanitation and limited access to care. Tunisian delegates, alongside their regional counterparts, worked on strengthening preparedness for cross-border health risks in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).
The exercise focused on ensuring access to essential health services for migrants, refugees and host communities while reinforcing national health security. Participants recommended standardizing public health procedures across borders, enhancing real-time communication during outbreaks and formalizing collaboration frameworks between neighboring states.
For Tunisia, the initiative builds on previous regional workshops hosted in Tunis that engaged Algeria and Libya in designing joint preparedness plans. The Cairo exercise marked a new milestone, expanding the scope of collaboration to include Sudan and Egypt, and underscoring Tunisia’s role in advancing migrant health and cross-border cooperation in North Africa.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Editorial Staff)
