DZWatch Exclusive: The process for obtaining the electronic drug card, designed to provide access to medication for Algeria’s most vulnerable citizens, has been clarified by officials. According to Abdelhafid Djoghri, Director of Performance at the National Social Security Fund for Salaried Workers (CNAS), applications are to be submitted through the applicant’s local municipality.
These municipal offices will then forward the applications to a specialized Wilaya (province) committee responsible for reviewing and processing them. Djoghri emphasized that the review process is designed to be swift. He highlighted the initial positive response, noting that 500 applications were received on the first day following the official launch of the program by the Minister of Labor and the Minister of Solidarity.
“We anticipate an accelerated pace in the coming days,” Djoghri stated, assuring the public that adequate resources are in place to handle applications efficiently and effectively. He also clarified that the electronic card covers a broad range of medications, extending beyond chronic illnesses to include over 5,500 different drugs.
Following review and approval by the Wilaya committee, approved applications are sent to CNAS. The Fund then assigns the beneficiary a social security registration number and prepares the electronic drug card. The card is subsequently sent to the beneficiary’s local Wilaya agency, where it is activated and delivered to the recipient.
This initiative aims to ensure that socially uninsured individuals have access to essential medications, promoting health and well-being across the country.
