Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) completed today, April 2, the construction of the first military field hospital in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
The hospital was built in a record duration of only six days, revealed a news report by Medi1TV.
The military hospital, built to host COVID-19 patients, aims to alleviate the pressure on existing health facilities by providing additional healthcare capacity.
The facility is divided into two sections, explained Doctor Lieutenant-Colonel Hicham Qachti, the hospital’s chief physician.
The first section, composed of tents, can host up to 260 patients. The second section is a fully-equipped building containing all necessary medical devices for COVID-19 response. The building has a capacity of 200 beds, along with 20 intensive care units for patients in critical condition.
Thirteen doctors are available at the hospital, including three intensive care doctors, two emergency doctors, and six general practitioners who received special training on how to treat COVID-19 patients. A clinical biologist and a pharmacist are also working at the hospital.
The paramedical staff includes 69 nurses, while the assisting staff includes 39 members, led by two senior military health officials.
Members from the FAR’s social services and other departments are also available at the hospital to provide support.
“The whole staff are aware of their responsibilities and are fully prepared to fulfill their national duty,” said the hospital’s chief physician.
The FAR are ready to build more field hospitals across the country if needed, he added.
The military selected Benslimane as a priority location because of its proximity to Casablanca, the city with the most cases in Morocco. Casablanca has recorded 174 COVID-19 cases as of 6 p.m. on April 1.
The construction of the military hospital comes after King Mohammed VI called on Morocco’s military to assist civilians during the coronavirus crisis.
“Military medicine [should] take part jointly with its civilian counterpart in the delicate mission of fighting the pandemic,” said a statement from the royal office on March 22.
The King also called upon civil and military doctors to work “in harmony and intelligence, as they have always done, because what is at stake is the health of Moroccans and foreigners in Morocco.”
As of April 2 at 1 p.m., Morocco has confirmed 676 COVID-19 cases, including 29 recoveries and 40 fatalities.
