Gemalto to Design, Build and Implement the First Smart Card-Based Healthcare System in Algeria

Gemalto to Design, Build and Implement the First Smart Card-Based Healthcare System in Algeria

July 04, 2006

The contract calls for 7 million smart cards over three years and designing, building and implementing the smart card customization and management system

    AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, and ALGIERS, Algeria, July 4
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO),
a world leader in digital security, announced that it has
been selected by the Algerian national health insurance
authority (Caisse Nationale de la Securite Sociale des
Travailleurs Salaries, CNAS) to be its sole provider for
the rollout of the first healthcare microprocessor cards in
Algeria. As prime contractor, Gemalto will manage the entire
project. Main roll out is to take place in 2007, including a
total of 7 million smart cards. 

    Under the contract, Gemalto will provide CNAS with a
microprocessor card-based turnkey solution to strongly
authenticate both healthcare beneficiaries and healthcare
providers, while ensuring full prescription traceability.
Gemalto's solution involves smart cards for citizens, smart
cards for healthcare professionals (doctors, pharmacists
...), the related customization system and an integrated
issuance and management system. Leveraging on its expertise
in solutions and services customization, Gemalto will assist
the CNAS in starting off the production process, and ensure
proper training for the CNAS personnel. 

    For the citizens, the healthcare smart card simplifies
substantially the submission of claims to the Algerian
social security services by digitizing claims forms. It
also offers a high degree of transaction security and
speeds up claim reimbursements.  

    "We needed a partner with expertise in rolling out
healthcare smart card and customization systems," said
Mr Ahmed Khenchoul, General Director of CNAS. "Gemalto
had a clear understanding of our needs and was able to
propose a turnkey solution enabling healthcare institutions
to migrate efficiently to smart card technology. By doing
so, healthcare institutions in Algeria will be able to
securely manage patient records and verify patient benefits
while keeping patient data confidential."

    "We are proud to be taking part in this ambitious
CNAS modernization plan, which will be a premiere not only
in North Africa but on the entire African continent,"
added Xavier Chanay, President CIS, Middle East, Africa at
Gemalto.

    About Gemalto

    Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is a leader in
digital security with pro forma 2005 annual revenues of
euro 1,7 billion ($2.2 billion), operations in 120
countries and 11,000 employees including 1,500 R&D
engineers.  The company's solutions make personal digital
interactions secure and easy in a world where everything of
value -- from money to entertainment to identities -- is
increasingly represented as bits and bytes communicated
over networks.  

    Gemalto thrives on creating and deploying secure
platforms, portable and secure forms of software in highly
personal objects like smart cards, SIMs, e-passports,
readers and tokens.  More than a billion people worldwide
use the company's products and services for
telecommunications, banking, e-government, identity
management, multimedia content, digital rights management,
IT security and other applications.  Gemalto was formed in
June 2006 by the combination of Axalto and Gemplus
International S.A.  For more information please visit
http://www.gemalto.com . 

    For more information, please contact:

    Media                  
     Emmanuelle Saby  
     Gemalto      
     Tel:    [phone]  
     Mobile: [phone]  
     Email:  [e-mail]

    Investor Relations
     Stephane Bisseuil
     Gemalto
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]
    
    TBWA\Corporate
     Emlyn Korengold
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Web:     http://www.gemalto.com

SOURCE  Gemalto