TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s third wave of COVID-19 is subsiding and curfews are being relaxed as the mass vaccination program gets underway. Still, senior medics warn COVID-19 battle fatigue and poor working conditions are further driving doctors overseas, leaving the country vulnerable should a fourth wave arrive with the return to normal levels of international travel.

The pandemic has pushed Tunisia’s people and medical system to a near breaking point, in part precipitating President Kais Saied’s assumption of executive power on July 25. Despite donations of vaccines, equipment and medical support, senior medics fear that long-standing poor working conditions and being overworked without respite will drive doctors overseas, leaving the service in even worse shape than before the crisis and less able to cope should another wave arrive.

Professor Iheb Labbene, a specialist in anesthesia and intensive care treatment responsible for managing intensive care services during the pandemic, told Al-Monitor Tunisia's COVID-19 crisis began back in October 2020. Up to that point, Tunisia had tightly controlled the spread of infections through the use of total confinement and restricted openings of cafes and shops. “It was Tunisia's first wave, the second wave in the world, and hospitals were 80% filled with COVID-19 cases then.” The extended lockdown had battered its already fragile economy, and “sharp contractions in growth” were reported by the World Bank.

Mistrust between the people and the state had been fomenting as the country struggled to consolidate a stable government. Labbene said the two organizations responsible for COVID-19 strategies were in constant disagreement, with the National Scientific Committee — consisting of medical and pharmaceutical specialists — advocating sustained periods of confinement, and the National Committee — consisting of key ministries such as education, interior and finance — fearing the economic impact and costs of long lockdowns.