Rabat – The Moroccan Association for the Fight Against AIDS (ALCS) published a document calling the Ministry of Health to facilitate access to Hepatitis C medication in Morocco, especially for those living in precarious situations. ALCS released the statement today, November 14.
The organization called for including all Moroccans in the medical assistance plan RAMED. According to the press release, the majority of Moroccans live in precarious conditions and “do not have health insurance.”
ALCS decided to publish the release after the new Minister of Health, Khaled Ait Taleb, canceled a call for bids concerning providers of Hepatitis C medication. The decision would mean a rise in price for this type of medication from MAD 2,660 per box to MAD 4,950, according to the association.
For ALCS, it is crucial that the Ministry of Health launches a new call for bids to provide the Moroccan market with Hepatitis C medication at the lowest prices as soon as possible.
“Every delay would lead people’s conditions to worsen, and it would increase the risk of developing other complications requiring even more expensive treatment, including cirrhosis and liver cancer,” adds the organization.
ALCS also recalled the Ministry of Health’s goal of eliminating Hepatitis C in Morocco by the year 2030.
In July 2019, the association shared alarming numbers about Hepatitis C in Morocco. Around 5,000 Moroccans die every year from this disease, averaging 15 deaths per day. There are also 400,000 Moroccans who suffer from Hepatitis C, and around 16 new victims catch the disease every day.
Hepatitis C is a disease that causes inflammation and infection of the liver. This condition develops after being infected with the hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C can be either acute or chronic. It is also highly contagious.
ALCS began in 1988. It was the first association for the fight against HIV/AIDS in the MENA region. At first, its main focus was supporting AIDS patients financially, socially, and psychologically. However, as the organization developed it started supporting patients suffering from other diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases and Hepatitis.
