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Held under the patronage of the President of the Republic, Telehealth Connect 2026 will bring together more than 500 participants from 30 countries over three days. The attendee list includes ministers, government officials, representatives from international organizations, and healthcare institutions, alongside researchers, clinicians, and technology partners.

The conference will cover telemedicine and virtual care, health data interoperability, artificial intelligence in clinical settings, cybersecurity, and cross-border cooperation in telehealth. Practical workshops will run alongside the main programme, focused on workforce skills, AI governance, and the technical requirements of connecting health information systems across institutions and borders.

Supporting organizations include the World Health Organization, the World Bank Group, the International Telecommunication Union, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population is also listed as a partner, alongside private-sector names including Huawei and Tunisie Telecom. The event is organized by MWAN Events.

On the domestic side, Tunisia’s Ministry of Health has prepared a detailed account of where the country stands. Beyond the teleradiology rollout, 99 healthcare facilities are at various stages of implementing electronic medical records. The national health identifier, a foundational building block for any connected health system, has reached 800,000 active registrations. And the ministry is preparing to launch a citizen-facing platform called “Sahetna,” which will allow patients to track their care pathways, view appointments, access health records, and manage children’s health information, subject to data protection controls.

Professor Mustapha Ferjani, Tunisia’s Minister of Health, framed the event’s purpose plainly: “Our responsibility, as policymakers, doctors, researchers and engineers, is to ensure that technological progress remains in the service of people, and not the other way around.”

Why does it matter?

The conference arrives at a moment when digital health ambitions across the Arab world are running ahead of implementation. The GCC has invested heavily in health technology infrastructure, from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 health digitization targets to the UAE’s unified health platform and telemedicine licensing frameworks. But connecting these national efforts to a broader regional and African network remains a work in progress.

Tunisia’s position is interesting precisely because it is not a resource-rich Gulf state. What it has built, it has built within the constraints of a public health system serving a population spread across diverse regions. That makes its experience in teleradiology, electronic records, and patient identification potentially more transferable to other middle-income countries than the high-budget deployments seen elsewhere.

The focus on data governance, cybersecurity, and AI oversight is also timely. Across the region, regulators are wrestling with how to write rules for AI-assisted diagnostics and cross-border data sharing that protect patients without stifling the technology. Telehealth Connect 2026 is one of the few forums where those conversations can happen between African and Arab health systems at the same table.

• Telemedicine and virtual care models
• Health information system interoperability and data sharing
• Responsible use of artificial intelligence in clinical contexts
• Cybersecurity and health data governance
• Virtual hospital frameworks and cross-border telehealth cooperation
• Sustainable investment in digital health infrastructure

The context

Digital health in the Arab world has accelerated sharply since 2020, when COVID-19 forced health systems to adopt remote consultation and digital triage tools under pressure. Most GCC states now have formal telehealth regulations in place. Saudi Arabia’s National Health Information Center has been building interoperability standards for years. The UAE’s DOH and DHA have both issued telehealth licensing frameworks and pushed integration with insurance systems.

But north Africa has moved more quietly, and Tunisia’s progress has received less attention than it perhaps deserves. The “Sahetna” platform, once live, would put Tunisia among a small group of Arab countries offering citizens direct digital access to their own health records, a step that Gulf health authorities have also been working toward.

So the conference is a signal as much as it is an event. Tunisia is telling its regional neighbors, its African partners, and international development organizations that it wants to be part of the conversation shaping where digital health goes next. And it has enough on the ground to earn a seat at that table.

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The reforms come as Tunisia struggles with persistent medication shortages across hospitals and pharmacies. Prime Minister Sara Zaafrani Zenzri said fixing the healthcare and social protection systems is “an absolute national priority” during the meeting at the Government Palace in Kasbah.

Going digital

The government approved sweeping digitization of the pharmaceutical system to track medicine distribution from import to patient. The new digital systems will:

• Monitor drug supplies in real-time across all regions
• Track distribution channels to prevent shortages
• Improve stock management at pharmacies and hospitals
• Speed up approval times for new drug marketing licenses

Health Minister Mustapha Ferjani gave cabinet members a detailed update on the Central Pharmacy’s current situation and progress made since previous reforms were announced. The ministry will also strengthen inspection mechanisms to improve transparency across the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Why does it matter?

Medicine shortages in Tunisia have left patients without essential drugs and specialized treatments. The government wants to guarantee “continuous supply and equitable access to medicines for all citizens across hospitals, pharmacies, and regions.”

The new strategic medicine stockpile will focus on essential and specialized drugs that are most prone to shortages. Tunisia also plans to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers by encouraging local production of generic medicines.

The Prime Minister emphasized that strengthening the health sector could boost investment and exports while positioning Tunisia as a pharmaceutical hub in African and global markets.

The context

This isn’t Tunisia’s first attempt to fix medicine shortages. A previous cabinet meeting on September 3, 2025, had already approved a comprehensive plan to address the crisis. That plan included:

• Ensuring continuous availability of essential drugs nationwide
• Improving pharmaceutical system management
• Rationalizing drug use in healthcare facilities
• Shortening approval timelines for new medicines

Social Affairs Minister Issam Lahmar also presented the current status of social funds and proposed additional reform measures during Monday’s meeting.

The government is updating Tunisia’s essential medicines list and setting a national roadmap for vaccine production. Officials see digital transformation as the key to making the pharmaceutical sector sustainable long-term.

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The new platform promises to speed up complaint processing by connecting requests directly to the right departments. Every case will be tracked from start to finish, giving patients clear visibility into their complaint’s progress.

How does it work?

The digital application replaces traditional paper-based complaint systems. Patients can submit their concerns through the app, which then routes them automatically to relevant hospital departments. The system creates a digital trail for each complaint, allowing both patients and administrators to monitor progress in real time.

The platform also includes document archiving features, moving away from paper records toward digital storage. This shift aims to reduce administrative delays and minimize opportunities for documents to be lost or manipulated.

Why does it matter?

Healthcare complaints in Tunisia have traditionally been slow to process and difficult to track. The new system addresses these problems by creating accountability at every step. Built-in monitoring tools are designed to identify potential corruption and ensure transparent handling of patient concerns.

The digital approach also protects patient rights by providing clear documentation of complaints and responses. This creates a permanent record that can be referenced if issues aren’t resolved properly.

The context

Sahloul Hospital serves as the testing ground for this technology before it expands nationwide. The Health Ministry plans to use feedback from this pilot program to refine the system and address any technical issues.

The initiative is part of Tunisia’s broader effort to digitize public services and improve governance. By reducing paperwork and creating digital audit trails, the government hopes to build more trust between citizens and public institutions.

If successful at Sahloul, the complaint system will roll out gradually across Tunisia’s public hospitals. The goal is to create a standardized approach to patient feedback that works consistently across the country’s healthcare network.

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The agreement covers artificial intelligence deployment, cloud computing solutions, and enhanced connectivity infrastructure. This marks a significant step in Tunisia’s broader digital transformation strategy for public services.

How does it work?

The partnership will roll out in several phases across Tunisia’s healthcare network. Tunisia Telecom will provide high-speed fiber connections to hospitals and clinics nationwide. These connections will support telemedicine platforms and digital patient records systems.

AI-powered diagnostic tools will be integrated into existing hospital workflows. Cloud infrastructure will enable secure data sharing between medical facilities. The system will also support remote consultations and digital appointment booking for patients.

Healthcare workers will receive training on the new digital tools. A dedicated support team will ensure smooth implementation across all participating facilities.

Why does it matter?

This partnership addresses critical gaps in Tunisia’s healthcare infrastructure. Many rural areas currently lack reliable internet connectivity for medical services. The new system will bring advanced healthcare tools to underserved communities.

Patients will benefit from reduced waiting times and improved access to specialists. Digital records will eliminate paperwork delays and reduce medical errors. The AI diagnostic tools will help doctors make faster, more accurate diagnoses.

The initiative also positions Tunisia as a leader in digital health innovation across North Africa. It demonstrates how telecom companies can play a vital role in public sector modernization.

The context

Tunisia has been pushing forward with digital government initiatives since 2020. The health sector was identified as a priority area for technological upgrade following the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited healthcare resources highlighted the need for more efficient service delivery.

Tunisia Telecom, as the country’s largest telecommunications provider, has the infrastructure capacity to support this ambitious project. The company has been expanding its fiber network and cloud services in recent years.

Similar healthcare digitization projects are underway across the Middle East and Africa region. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Kenya have seen significant improvements in health outcomes through technology adoption. Tunisia’s approach focuses particularly on bridging the urban-rural healthcare divide through improved connectivity.

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As health systems around the world embrace digital tools, Tunisia’s latest move signals its intent to not just keep up but to lead regional digital transformation in public healthcare.

How does it work?

At its core, Pharmalink is a digital bridge. It links public health establishments (PHEs) directly with the Pharmacie centrale de Tunisie, Tunisia’s state importer and supplier of medicines under the Ministry of Health.

Here’s what it changes:

• Paper orders get replaced with digital ones, sent in real time.
• Hospitals monitor their requests and stock more precisely.
• Central planners can forecast medicine needs with better data.
• The platform feeds into the broader e-health infrastructure that Tunisia has been building.

The idea is to track every request and supply from the moment it’s made until medicines reach hospital shelves. That’s a big deal in a system where delays or miscounts can mean shortages, or worse. What was once slow, opaque, and heavily reliant on manual steps now moves at digital speed.

Why does it matter?

Put bluntly, this matters because lives depend on it. Health officials often talk about efficiency and transparency in technocratic terms, but in public health, those translate directly into better patient care.

Here’s why Pharmalink is significant:

• It eliminates paper, finally bringing medicine orders into the digital age.
• It gives health managers a single source of truth on stock and demand.
• It cuts backroom bottlenecks that can delay treatment.
• It rings the transparency bell loud and clear to citizens and watchdogs alike.

The push comes amid broader digital health efforts in Tunisia, including moves toward electronic records and streamlined administrative services. Digital tools like this don’t just save time. They help capture waste, signal potential shortages, and free up clinicians to focus on patients rather than paperwork.

The context

This platform sits within a broader drive to modernize Tunisia’s public institutions. The Health Ministry and other agencies have been rolling out digital services to improve medical governance and patient care.

Tunisia is part of a wider regional trend in Africa and the Mediterranean where governments are biting into digital transformation in health. The World Bank, for example, is backing upgrades to health systems that include electronic records and telemedicine capabilities.

Ask a Tunisian health official about this, and they’ll tell you it’s about more than efficiency. It’s about trust. Moving processes into a transparent digital format means fewer opportunities for error and abuse. It means citizens can have confidence that medicine stocks are tracked and used where they’re needed most.

In a region where health systems are striving to be both resilient and fair, Pharmalink is a clear shot at reform. And as Tunisia continues to build its e-health ecosystem, this platform could become a cornerstone of public health management in the decades to come.

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At its heart was a meeting between the Tunisian ambassador in France and the co-head of the Delegation for Digital Health at the French Ministry of Health, Families, Autonomy, and People with Disabilities.

How does it work?

This cooperation is about blending two kinds of strengths:

• France brings deep experience with digital health platforms and advanced use of artificial intelligence in public health systems.
• Tunisia brings a thriving digital startup scene and a hunger to modernise care delivery across urban and rural areas.

At the core of these discussions was the exchange of experiences around digital platforms and AI use to manage and optimise services. Leaders talked about innovation, rapid delivery of services to citizens, and how to make healthcare both closer and more reliable for everyday people.

It’s not just policy talk. Earlier collaborative workshops have united French innovators with Tunisian healthtech pioneers to co-create ideas, tackle regulatory roadblocks, and map out how AI can power pharmaceutical innovation as well as patient care.

Why does it matter?

This is not some neat diplomatic press release. It matters because health systems everywhere are creaking under demand, cost pressures, and inequities. Digital technologies offer a way to meet people where they are. Telemedicine, electronic records, and AI-driven diagnostics can cut wait times. They can improve outcomes for patients in remote regions. And they can reduce friction in systems bogged down by paperwork and legacy infrastructure.

Tunisia’s health ministry and tech community see this as a game-changer. France’s role in this is significant because it is offering insight from one of Europe’s most advanced health technology markets. By learning from France’s experience and marrying it with local innovation ecosystems in Tunisia, the partnership could set a blueprint for other countries in North Africa and beyond.

As one Tunisian official put it at a previous AI summit, “we aim to harness artificial intelligence technologies for the benefit of humanity in a responsible and inclusive manner.”

The context

France and Tunisia have a long history of health cooperation. Projects around e-health and electronic medicine management have been discussed for years. Back in 2018, for example, partnerships were already geared toward improving hospital digital systems and medicine tracking.

This latest push builds on that foundation and fits into a broader backdrop. Across the Mediterranean region, tech and digital transformation have become political priorities. Tunisia, for its part, is bolstering its national health infrastructure with projects aimed at electronic records, telemedicine, and improved governance. A recent World Bank-supported plan aims to modernise primary healthcare and pandemic response through digital upgrades and frontline training.

Workshops and collaborative sessions held in Tunis and beyond reflect an evolving relationship where students, entrepreneurs, public officials, and innovators all sit at the table. These encounters are about more than talk; they are about shaping the future of health systems that must be more resilient, more accessible, and more fair.

This Franco-Tunisian digital health partnership is not a silver bullet. But it is a big step toward reimagining what access to care looks like in the decade ahead.

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For Dr. Ramzi Nouira, who heads General Surgery Department B, the moment marked more than a milestone. “Robotic surgery represents the future of surgical practice,” he said.

How does it work?

In this procedure, the robot didn’t act on its own. It’s more like a highly sophisticated extension of the surgeon’s hands — steady, tireless, and precise. “It is the surgeon who controls the robot from start to finish,” Dr. Nouira explained. The system enables precise, controlled movements that reduce bleeding, enhance accuracy, and expedite recovery time. Patients benefit from smaller incisions, less pain, and quicker hospital discharge.

The newly installed robotic system at Charles Nicolle Hospital is designed for procedures that were once performed laparoscopically. That means it can now handle more delicate surgeries — like partial liver or colon resections — with enhanced precision. The hospital’s medical staff received two weeks of training in South Korea, where the robot was sourced under a bilateral cooperation agreement. Korean specialists later came to Tunisia to oversee installation and train the local team.

Why does it matter?

Robotic surgery isn’t just about fancy machines. It’s about safer, faster healing and better patient outcomes. By reducing post-operative complications and shortening hospital stays, these systems ease pressure on Tunisia’s overcrowded public hospitals. They also help surgeons push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Dr. Nouira highlighted another key point: robotic procedures don’t replace doctors; they empower them. “The robot’s importance lies in enhancing precision and efficiency,” he said. Think of it as adding a new level of finesse to human expertise.

The context

Tunisia has already established a reputation in laparoscopic surgery, but this marks a significant leap toward modern, high-tech medicine. The collaboration with South Korea reflects a growing global exchange in medical innovation, bringing advanced healthcare closer to more patients in North Africa.

The success of this operation didn’t happen in isolation — it was the result of tight teamwork between doctors, nurses, and engineers. It’s also a signal that Tunisia is ready to embrace the next era of medicine, where robots lend a hand but the human touch still leads the way.

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As the ministry put it, the idea is simple but powerful — detect fast, respond faster.

How does it work?

Najda weaves together ambulances, cardiology units, and hospitals into one digital thread. Here’s what happens when a suspected heart attack strikes:

• Patient data is transmitted instantly from the field to specialists.
• Cardiologists can begin guiding treatment remotely — sometimes even before the patient reaches the ER doors.
• Ambulance crews and hospital teams stay connected in real time, shaving off minutes that often mean the difference between recovery and tragedy.

The Tunisian Society of Cardiology and the National Accreditation Authority are training medical teams to use these tools, making sure the human element keeps pace with the technology.

Why does it matter?

Cardiac emergencies are a race against the clock. Delays translate into higher mortality and long-term damage. Najda cuts through the lag, improving survival rates and helping patients avoid a lifetime of weakened hearts.

But this isn’t just about one disease. By setting new national standards for emergency protocols, Tunisia is nudging its entire health system toward greater coordination and reliability. As one official explained, Najda “reduces critical delays, improves survival, and minimizes long-term cardiac damage.” That’s more than efficiency; it’s hope stitched into the healthcare fabric.

The context

Najda isn’t a standalone experiment — it’s part of a broader digital health strategy Tunisia has been quietly but steadily building. Recently, the government struck partnerships with South Korea to modernize health infrastructure and opened a telemedicine center to help patients in inland regions who often struggle with access.

This is also a story about vision. Today it’s heart attacks. Tomorrow, Najda could extend to strokes, respiratory distress, or other emergencies — creating a unified national safety net. In a region where health systems are under pressure, Tunisia is signaling that digital innovation isn’t a luxury. It’s the next standard of care.

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