Leader of Moroccan Social Media Campaign for Cancer Patients Dies

Rabat – Rajaa Bouziane, one of the activists who launched a social media campaign for cancer patients, died on Saturday, January 4. The news came in an announcement on Facebook.

The campaign, under the hashtag “Mabghinach nmouto bsaratan” (We don’t want to die of cancer), seeks to improve healthcare for cancer patients in Moroccan hospitals and calls for free treatment.

“One of the warriors, Rajaa, has died. She was the reason why we launched the ‘Mabghinach nmouto bsaratan’ campaign… She died because she didn’t get medication. Officials are the ones to blame for her suffering and the suffering of thousands more,” says the post.

Since August 2019, Bouziane has faced many challenges during her cancer treatment because of the poor condition of Moroccan hospitals. The low-level medical treatment could not stop the disease from spreading.

She launched the campaign, along with several Moroccan cancer patients and survivors calling themselves “warriors,” in December 2019.

The patients shared pictures of themselves carrying the campaign’s slogan. They also posted videos narrating their struggles with Moroccan hospitals and condemning the high cost of cancer treatment in Morocco.

The campaign started as a Facebook group for Moroccan cancer patients where they shared their pain and struggles and provided each other with emotional support.

The group then moved onto WhatsApp, before deciding to go public with their suffering and share the campaign on public social media.

The campaign earned compassion and solidarity from ordinary Moroccans, public figures, and academics.

One academic, Omar Cherkaoui, prepared a petition asking the government to create a “Cancer Control Fund” through an amendment to the 2020 Finance Bill.

The professor from Mohammedia said that he will start distributing the petition to get signatories to regional coordinators.

Several weeks after the start of the campaign, the Ministry of Health launched an initiative to offer children under the age of five free cancer treatment at all health institutions and public hospitals.

The ministry made its announcement on December 26, saying that “the initiative comes within the framework of Royal instructions.”