African Development Bank promotes access to health care in Morocco
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has recently approved a €120 million financing package to improve access to healthcare in Morocco. This investment demonstrates the AfDB's commitment to improving the well-being of the Moroccan population, with a special focus on women residing in rural and isolated areas.
Through the initiative called the Programme to Support Inclusive Access to Health Infrastructure, the project aims to address multiple aspects of healthcare delivery. The funds will be used to improve primary and secondary health infrastructure, implement innovative solutions to improve connectivity and optimise the allocation of human and financial resources within the health system, according to an AfDB press release.
Although the project aims to benefit the entire Moroccan population, it will place special emphasis on three regions: Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Draa-Tafilalet and Guelmim-Oued Noun. The expected results include the construction and equipping of hospitals in these areas.
Facilities to be created or upgraded include the Beni-Mellal Regional Hospital Centre, the Azilal Provincial Hospital Centre, the Fkih Ben Salah Provincial Hospital Centre, as well as specialised women's and children's units at the Guelmim Regional Hospital and the Fkih Ben Salah Provincial Hospital.
To address the lack of health facilities in remote regions, the project will also introduce telemedicine and teleconsultation services in underserved areas. In addition, it aims to strengthen the staff of the Moroccan Ministry of Health and increase the number of graduates from the higher institutes of nursing and health technology.
Morocco World News reported that the AfDB commended Morocco for its significant investments in the health sector over the past two decades, which have resulted in marked improvements in maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as increased coverage of essential health interventions for them.
With the allocation of this major financing package, the AfDB reaffirms its commitment to support the country's efforts to modernise health services and ensure equitable access to quality health care throughout the country. The project is in line with Morocco's broader vision of achieving universal health coverage and promoting the well-being of all its citizens.
In doing so, the government is continuing the implementation of the Health 2025 Plan, introduced in 2018, to improve the population's access to quality healthcare. The plan focuses on four reform imperatives: expanding protection against health risks by generalising health insurance and pensions, creating a social assistance system targeted at the most vulnerable families, reforming the health sector, and reforming the public education system.
