The Ministry of Health has emphasized the activation of legislative and regulatory provisions for occupational health and safety across all public and private health institutions nationwide. The Directorate General of Prevention and Health Promotion issued Directive number 21 on July 26, addressing it to governors, directors of health and population, and heads of hospital institutions. This directive aims to protect health sector professionals, which the Ministry affirmed is a fundamental part of the national public health policy. The objective is to reduce direct occupational risks, including infectious diseases and work accidents, for all health personnel.
Mandatory Health Protocols
Health institutions are obligated to ensure that job positions are suitable for the physical and psychological capabilities of their employees and trainees. New employees must undergo a mandatory pre-employment medical examination to prove their physical and health fitness before beginning work. Health professionals are considered highly exposed to biological, chemical, and physical risks.
The directive mandates enhanced periodic medical monitoring for health professionals, which includes at least one medical visit every six months. These periodic visits are supplemented by biochemical and radiological examinations, determined by the specific risks of each department. A return-to-work examination is mandatory after absences due to work accidents, occupational hazards and diseases, sick leave, maternity leave, or long or frequent absences exceeding 21 days. The purpose of the return-to-work examination is to ensure the worker can resume duties without posing a risk to their health or patient health. Transferring or assigning any employee to a new job position is prohibited without a prior medical fitness clearance.
Strict mandatory vaccination against viral hepatitis (B) is required for all employees or trainees exposed to the risk of infection through blood and bodily fluids. Mandatory vaccination against diphtheria and tetanus is also required for relevant categories of personnel. Additionally, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for all health professionals.
Institutional Responsibilities
The Ministry of Health has called for occupational physicians to be fully empowered in analyzing job positions and proposing safety measures within health institutions. Immediate implementation of recommendations for modifying or adapting job positions for medically affected workers is also mandated.
Health and population directorates across the wilayas are tasked with field supervision and monitoring of these new measures. These directorates must monitor key occupational medicine performance indicators, including the number of medical visits conducted, fitness decisions issued, and vaccination coverage rates among health professionals.
Reporting and Oversight
Health and population directorates are mandated to compile a full annual report detailing occupational health activities. This report must be submitted to the central Ministry of Health administration by August 15, 2026. The requirement is part of broader efforts to enhance occupational safety for health professionals across all public and private health institutions. The Ministry of Health emphasized the activation of legislative and regulatory provisions for occupational health and safety, aiming to reduce direct occupational risks, such as infectious diseases and work accidents. The annual reporting mechanism serves to ensure ongoing compliance and monitoring of these new measures.