The Union of Community Pharmacists of Tunisia (SPOT) has made a decision. Gathered in an extraordinary general meeting this Saturday, pharmacists decided not to renew the agreement linking the profession to the National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM) for the year 2026, in its current form. Consequently, from Monday October 27, they will suspend the application of the third-party payment formula for common illnesses.
A climate of rupture after months of tension
In a press release published at the end of the meeting, the union justifies this decision by the continued violation of the fundamental principles of the convention and the non-compliance with the clauses of the agreement signed with the CNAM.
Pharmacists believe that the situation has become unsustainable and that the convention, extended until the end of 2025, cannot be maintained without fundamental reforms.
SPOT recalls that it had postponed the suspension of third-party payment to October, initially scheduled for October 1, 2025, after a series of consultations with health authorities and partners in the sector. This truce aimed to promote the implementation of structural reforms promised by the government, but which remained without concrete effect according to the union.
Call to save the pharmaceutical service
The union is now calling on all parties concerned – CNAM, Ministry of Health and institutional partners – to honor their commitments and translate them into tangible measures. He warns against the deterioration of the pharmaceutical service, citing the urgent need to save a sector in crisis and guarantee citizens fair access to medicines.
The sectoral agreement between private pharmacies and the CNAM, signed for one year, was to end on December 31, 2025. Its future will now depend on new negotiations around a fairer framework for the profession.
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