Benin: The deputies adopt the law on private clients and facilitate the installation of health professionals.

This text, significantly revised, brings more clarity and removes several administrative barriers that affected the establishment of practitioners, while opening the sector to new investments.

​One of the major innovations of this law lies in opening up funding for health structures to non-professional investors. With the exception of strict medical practices, Article 4 now states that any individual or legal entity outside the medical community can validly fund the creation and equipment of private health establishments.

To safeguard the system against any mercantile excesses, the legislator has nonetheless defined parameters for this openness, requiring that the quality of services, patient safety, and the validation of technical standards of equipment be placed under the responsibility of a professional member of the relevant profession.

​From an administrative perspective, the text brings about a true revolution for practitioners registered with a professional Order. According to the formal provisions of Articles 6 and 7, registration with the board of an Order (doctors, pharmacists, midwives) now automatically grants the right to practice in private care or not, thereby eliminating the arduous process that was the request for prior authorization.

Conversely, this exemption does not apply to health agents whose professions are not yet organized under an Order; these individuals remain subject to obtaining a standard ministerial authorization prior to opening a clinic or private pharmacy.

​Concerned about not blocking young graduates or newcomers, Parliament has introduced notable flexibility in the transition to the private sector. A professional awaiting registration can start their private activities with a temporary order from the Minister of Health, provided they regularize their situation and obtain their registration with the Order within six months.

Finally, this modernized law incorporates specific provisions and special authorizations tailored for health professionals from the diaspora who wish to leverage their expertise to serve their fellow citizens, thus laying the groundwork for a more dynamic and secure public-private partnership for users.