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Rabat- A mentally disturbed man set himself on fire on Wednesday on Avenue Tarek Ibn Ziad in Rabat, shocking onlookers.
The 31-year-old man used a “highly flammable” liquid to burn himself. Civil protection forces intervened and transported the man to the closest hospital, Ibn Sina, where he is currently receiving treatment.
According to authorities in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region, the man has been admitted several times to the local mental health hospital, reported state-owned outlet Maghreb Arab Press.
In June, a 30-year-old would-be shoplifter set himself on fire during Ramadan at the main entrance to the Marjane supermarket in Agadir.
A video of the incident shocked the public. The man was transported to Hassan II Hospital in Agadir with second- and third-degree burns.
According to the local news site Agadir24.info, the man had a criminal record and had been caught in the act attempting to steal at Marjane.
Read Also: Amid Growing Depression Rates, Health Ministry Offers Mental Health Plan
An action plan to improve psychiatry services
Morocco is striving to broaden mental health care which is a priority for the country according to Minister of Health Anas Doukkali.
Doukkali has announced a new action plan that strives to create specialized departments in public hospitals and use therapeutic alternatives outside of hospitals, improve psychiatry and psychology services, enlarge mental healthcare coverage, and offer less costly services.
According to a 2017 Ministry of Health report, 50 percent of Moroccans suffer from mental or psychological disorders. Lack of resources also constitutes a problem for the progress of mental healthcare.
Morocco has only 197 psychiatrists for a population of over 35.28 million. On average, only 0.63 psychiatrists are available per 100,000 people.
