In a shocking scene, residents of the town of Tourist in the Illizi province of southern Algeria welcomed a new ambulance with applause, waving flags, and a procession of camels, as if it were an extraordinary event rather than a basic service provided to citizens.
The ambulance, purchased with state funds, underscores the fragility of Algeria’s healthcare infrastructure, where providing an ambulance for an entire region has become a celebrated occasion rather than a natural right for citizens. The scene exposes the failure of the ruling military regime to ensure even the most basic conditions for a decent life, highlighting the gap between official promises and the reality of essential services.
The reception ceremonies reveal an even more painful reality: entire cities and regions are suffering from extreme poverty and isolation from the outside world, to the extent that primary health services are received as though they are exceptional gifts. This exaggerated celebration reflects the state’s inability to secure the minimum of citizens’ fundamental rights, placing the regime before a mirror of its failure to build a state of institutions.
