Our informed sources revealed troubling details regarding the authorization granted to Afdal Al-Masarat Medical Services to handle the recruitment of medical and nursing personnel from Syria, raising questions about the legal basis of the authorization, the company’s expertise, and the reasons for granting it broad powers to represent the Ministry of Health.
According to the sources, the authorization, signed on August 24, 2026, is not limited to coordination. It grants the company the authority to deal and sign with Syrian recruitment companies and to participate in the selection and interviewing of doctors and nurses. This raises questions about who selects the personnel entering Libya and who bears responsibility for approving them.
The sources asked: Since when has the state granted a private company the authority to represent the Ministry of Health before embassies and diplomatic missions? Who are the company’s owners and board members, and what experience do they have in this field?
Recruitment Despite the Availability of Libyan Personnel
The sources indicated that the targeted nursing qualifications include diplomas, higher diplomas, and bachelor’s degrees, with up to three years of experience. They say Libya has large numbers of personnel with these qualifications, including unemployed graduates and those awaiting financial clearance for their positions.
The sources also noted that the recruitment of foreign workers should be based on an actual need, an approved staffing structure, and the authorization of the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Labour and Rehabilitation, which they say are absent in this case.
Foreign Salaries Raise Questions
According to figures provided by the sources, the salary of a Syrian nurse starts at around $1,000 (LYD 9,500) and reaches LYD 14,000, compared with approximately LYD 2,500 as the maximum salary for a Libyan nurse.
The salary of a Syrian consultant, according to the agreement, reaches approximately $3,200 (LYD 30,000), compared with around LYD 7,000 for a Libyan consultant. Meanwhile, a Syrian general practitioner receives approximately $2,000 (LYD 19,000), compared with around LYD 1,700 for a newly graduated Libyan doctor.
The sources pose a clear question: Why are such large salary differences being paid to recruit foreign personnel while thousands of Libyans are suffering from unemployment and low wages?
The Bigger Question: How Much Will the Company Receive?
The financial aspect remains the most unclear: How much will Afdal Al-Masarat receive for this authorization? Will it be paid for each doctor or nurse recruited? And who will bear this cost?
These developments come amid protests and sit-ins by medical and allied health personnel at several Libyan hospitals over salaries and allowances, further raising questions about the rationale for recruiting foreign personnel instead of addressing the conditions of the national workforce.
