University in Casablanca Inaugurates COVID-19 Hospitalization Center

Rabat – Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (UM6SS) in Casablanca inaugurated today, April 4, a medical unit for the hospitalization of patients with the novel coronavirus.

Organizers chose the UM6SS affiliate hospital to install the unit, which includes a tented structure with 42 beds to receive COVID-19 patients, and nine beds for intensive care patients.

The unit operates as a full end-to-end system, carrying out procedures ranging from identifying possible cases, to confirming infections, to hospitalizating patients, to providing treatment.

President of UM6SS Chakib Nejjari considers the outdoor hospital construction to align well with the Moroccan strategy to fight COVID-19.

The university made a significant contribution to this operation by training its medical staff, including doctors, nurses, technicians, and more, in order to provide patients with quality treatment, Nejjari told the press, noting that this in-kind contribution adds to the Moroccan government’s strategy in fighting the spread of the pandemic.

Ministry of Health Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Mohamed El Youbi said that the unit is a legitimate, functional hospital that the UM6SS equipped, and that its launch is in accordance with the ministry’s vision of enlarging treatment infrastructure.

The initiative aims to fortify Morocco’s health sector, along with the UM6SS’s National Reference Laboratory (LNR) which operates with a broadband platform to process COVID-19 tests and offer diagnoses.

“Our high-tech laboratory, which respects the biosafety standards, has been approved by the Ministry of Health to treat this type of microorganism,” said LNR H Dr. Imane Smiyej.

“We have expert personnel in the field and quality equipment that allows us to deal with this pandemic, which has encouraged the ministry to trust us” Dr. Smiyej added.

Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) completed a similar construction project on April 2 in Benslimane, near Casablanca.

The first military field hospital in Benslimane was built in a record duration of only six days. It is already set to host COVID-19 patients, and should alleviate the pressure on existing health facilities by providing additional healthcare capacity.

The building has a capacity of 200 beds, along with 20 intensive care units for patients in critical condition.