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DOI: 10.48087/BJMS.2026.130318
Authors: Ali AIT-MOHAND
Affiliations: Faculté de médecine – Université Mouloud Mammeri de Tizi-Ouzou – Algérie
Abstract
Medical certification of causes of death is a core component of health information systems and a key tool for health planning, epidemiological surveillance, and the evaluation of public health policies. In Algeria, although administrative death registration has achieved high coverage, the production and use of medical cause-of-death data remain incomplete and heterogeneous across wilayas. The regulatory reform introduced by Executive Decree No. 22-78 of April 28, 2022, which established a medical death certificate aligned with World Health Organization standards, represents a major regulatory advancement. However, its impact remains contingent on the consolidation of existing institutional arrangements and is constrained by the absence of a structured and sustainable national mortality registry. This review analyzes the organization of medical certification of causes of death in Algeria, describes recent developments, and discusses persistent system limitations in light of international experiences, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It critically examines prospects for digitalization of the medical death certificate and highlights key conditions required for the effective institutionalization of a national mortality registry, which is essential for improving health governance and ensuring international comparability of mortality data.
Keywords: mortality, causes of death, medical death certificate, mortality registry, Algeria.