National Bureau of the Tunisian Pharmacists' Union Suspends Third-Party Payment System for CNAM Insured Individuals
The National Bureau of the Tunisian Pharmacists' Union, which met on Wednesday, has decided to suspend the third-party payment system for CNAM insured individuals starting from December 8th. In a statement released on Wednesday, the union specified that it "has decided to suspend the delivery of medications at the expense of the CNAM as of December 8th, until the settlement of the Fund's debts to pharmacists, clarification of the legal framework governing the operation of pharmacies, and the implementation of urgent measures to save the drug distribution chain, as well as approval of exceptional funding for the CNAM under the 2026 finance law." Despite ongoing negotiations between the CNAM and pharmacists, "no clear vision or official commitment guaranteeing the continuity of the contractual relationship has been recorded, which raises serious questions among pharmacists about the future of this relationship and a grave situation without precedent threatening the stability of the entire sector," the union added. The union highlighted that the financial crisis affecting the pharmaceutical sector for years has worsened after the failure of negotiations with wholesale medication suppliers, who are also facing a critical economic situation threatening their continued activity, as well as with banks. The union estimates that the entire drug distribution chain is on the verge of collapse, from local manufacturers to the central pharmacy, including wholesalers and pharmacists. "Pharmacists have found themselves unable to continue delivering medications due to suffocating financial pressures, particularly pharmacies operating in interior regions and priority economic zones, where the ability to provide medications is directly threatened, which risks depriving thousands of citizens of their right to healthcare," the statement reads. In this context, it has become impossible for pharmacies to continue providing services to CNAM beneficiaries due to the lack of necessary financial and legal guarantees, the union said. The National Bureau affirmed that professional structures will remain open to any serious and responsible initiative that can provide urgent and sustainable solutions preserving the dignity of pharmacists, the rights of patients, and the stability of the healthcare system.
