Dr. Mariem Ktari : “Tunisia — Medical excellence reshaping the map of African healthcare”
The latest global ranking by CEOWORLD Magazine (September 2025) places Tunisia first in Africa and 49th worldwide for the quality of its healthcare system — a performance that crowns decades of medical excellence and positions the country as a regional hub for healthcare, medical evacuations, and medical tourism. Combining academic rigor, advanced infrastructure, and an openness to Africa, the Tunisian model is paving a new path toward the continent’s health sovereignty.
By Dr. Mariem Ktari
In September 2025, CEOWORLD Magazine published its ranking of the best healthcare systems in the world. Out of more than 100 countries assessed, Tunisia ranked 49th globally, 3rd in the Arab world (after the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia), and above all, 1st in Africa, well ahead of Morocco, Algeria, and even Turkey.
This result, still too little publicized, is far more than a statistic: it marks the emergence of an African medical hub and illustrates the rise of a Tunisian healthcare model that inspires the region and attracts international attention.
The CEOWORLD Magazine study evaluates healthcare systems based on five criteria:
- Quality of care and accessibility
- Competence of healthcare professionals
- Hospital infrastructure and equipment
- Efficiency of public and private financing
- Innovation and medical research
With an overall score of 39.37/100, Tunisia firmly leads the African continent, outperforming much larger economies. This is no coincidence — it is the result of decades of investment, rigorous medical training, and a health strategy that, despite challenges, remains focused on excellence.
The silent strengths of the Tunisian system
Behind this success stand several pillars:
- Exceptional human resources, trained within a demanding academic system, with expertise recognized in countries such as France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, which continue to recruit Tunisian doctors.
- A robust medical education system, producing qualified professionals in all specialties each year.
- Private clinics meeting international standards, capable of attracting patients from across Africa, the Maghreb, and Europe.
- A balanced cost model, offering specialized care at rates well below those in Europe or the Middle East, while maintaining safety and quality.
- A tradition of medical hospitality, making Tunisia a preferred destination for medical evacuations and health tourism.
An opportunity for Africa and the Global South
Across a continent where access to specialized care remains a daily challenge, Tunisia stands out as:
- A regional hub for medical evacuations, able to receive patients from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb, and the Sahel.
- A strategic alternative to distant and costly destinations.
- A trusted partner for insurers, governments, and NGOs seeking reliable healthcare solutions.
This achievement is not merely national — it is African. It paves the way for true South–South medical mobility, where Africans receive care in Africa, under international standards.
🩺 Saphyr Assistance: connecting patients to excellence
At Saphyr Assistance, we experience this ranking daily. Our role is to turn this potential into real patient journeys — by facilitating international medical evacuations to the best Tunisian facilities, coordinating every step from medical preparation to post-operative follow-up, and ensuring a smooth, human-centered experience.
Because behind every successful transfer lies a life, a family, and an invisible link: assistance.
Rethinking the equation
Tunisia’s international recognition highlights a simple truth:
When every actor — insurance, assistance, and healthcare institutions — plays their part fully, the entire system becomes fairer, more accessible, and more African.
📊 Key CEOWorld 2025 Figures
- Global rank: 49
- Africa rank: 1
- Arab world rank: 3
- Overall score: 39.37 / 100
Source: CEOWORLD Magazine 2025 Ranking
Health is not a race for numbers. This ranking is an invitation to invest, collaborate, and build bridges. It is now up to governments, insurers, private actors, and regional organizations to turn Tunisia’s lead into a lever for African health sovereignty.
“When every actor — insurance, assistance, and healthcare institution — plays their part fully, the entire system becomes fairer, more accessible, and more African.”
Dr. Mariem Ktari is the Medical Director of Saphyr Assistance and an expert in medical repatriation and international healthcare mobility.
