Story
03 June 2026
LIBYA LAUNCHES TWO NATIONAL INITIATIVES TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL HEALTH
The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and UNICEF unveil a coordinated package — the National Community Health Program and the National Strategy for School Health and Nutrition (2026–2030) — to bring health care closer to every Libyan family, child, and adolescent.TRIPOLI, June 2026 — The State of Libya today reinforced its commitment to universal health coverage and child well-being by bringing together two complementary national initiatives under one unified vision: the National Community Health Program, led by the Ministry of Health in partnership with UNICEF, and the National Strategy for School Health and Nutrition (2026–2030), jointly led by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education with technical support from UNICEF.
Together, these initiatives form an integrated pathway of care that follows Libyan citizens from the household to the classroom — ensuring that no family is left behind and that every school becomes a health-promoting environment.
National Community Health Program — Bringing Care to Every Doorstep
Building on successful pilots in several Libyan municipalities, the National Community Health Program will train and deploy 3,500 Health Visitors over the next two years, connecting health facilities directly to households across the country.
Health Visitors will provide household registration, maternal and child health support, nutrition screening, immunization promotion, hygiene and health education, and doorstep delivery of essential health kits — with a special focus on women, children, and vulnerable groups in rural and underserved areas.
The program is led by the Ministry of Health and supported by the Mastercard Foundation, with key partners WHO, IRC, CARE International, and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) also providing valuable support.
National Strategy for School Health and Nutrition (2026–2030) — Every School a Healthy School
The National Strategy for School Health and Nutrition (2026–2030) is a five-year multi-sectoral roadmap led by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, with technical support from UNICEF and funding from GIZ.
The Strategy addresses critical priorities for the well-being of Libyan learners, including school nutrition, mental health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and digital referral systems. As part of its implementation, the National Electronic System for School Health and Nutrition (SHNS) will be launched during the 2025/26 academic year, enabling real-time tracking, referral, and follow-up of student health needs.
Anchored in the vision that every school should be a health-promoting environment, the Strategy is built on three mutually reinforcing pillars: strengthening institutional commitment, expanding multi-sectoral partnerships, and creating an enabling environment through supportive legislation and sustainable financing.
Over the next five years, the partners will work jointly to mobilize resources, train school health personnel, equip school clinics, expand mental health services, regulate school canteens, and operationalize the SHNS digital platform — ensuring that every Libyan child and adolescent benefits from a healthier and more supportive learning environment.
A Unified Vision — From the Household to the Classroom
Taken together, the two initiatives represent one of the most comprehensive public health reforms in Libya in recent years. By linking community-level outreach with school-based services, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and their partners aim to build a continuum of care that protects Libyans at every stage of life — beginning at birth, extending through childhood and adolescence, and reaching the most vulnerable households across the country.