Pretoria: The drafting of texts related to structural reforms of Tunisia's social security and healthcare systems will begin immediately following a ministerial working session held Tuesday at the Government Palace in La Kasbah, chaired by Prime Minister Sarra ZaSfrani Zenzri. According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the meeting examined the main guidelines of the reform, which seeks to adapt the social protection system to demographic changes, the diversification of career paths and the expansion of the informal economy. During the session, Minister of Social Affairs Issam Lahmar presented a detailed assessment of the current situation of the pension, social security and healthcare coverage schemes. He called for a comprehensive and gradual long-term overhaul based on establishing a multi-pillar social protection system, while introducing urgent measures in the short and medium terms. The agreed guidelines notably include adapting pension schemes to economic and social changes, expanding social coverage to workers in the informal economy, the agricultural and fisheries sectors, as well as self-employed workers and those engaged in the platform economy, in addition to strengthening the governance of social security funds. In the healthcare sector, the priorities identified include strengthening complementarity between social security schemes and healthcare coverage, developing the pharmaceutical system and supporting local production of medicines and vaccines. They also include accelerating the digital transformation of social and healthcare services, particularly through the digitisation of medical records and social security cards. The PM stressed that the reform seeks to move away from partial and short-term solutions and to enshrine the right to social and healthcare coverage as a fundamental right, in line with the orientations of President Kais Saied. She also stressed the need for gradual implementation based on in-depth technical studies, giving priority to the most urgent measures before embarking on short-, medium- and long-term reforms. This approach aims to ensure clear reform pathways, effective implementation of the measures undertaken and, ultimately, the establishment of a more inclusive, equitable and efficient social security system.