Rabat – A baby girl born with spina bifida will soon undergo surgery after King Mohammed VI reportedly ordered that she be provided with immediate medical care, her family confirmed.
The infant’s case came to light during a protest in front of Hassan II Regional Hospital in Agadir, where her relatives joined demonstrators denouncing the facility’s deteriorating conditions.
Her uncle, who carried her in his arms at the rally, said the King personally intervened.
“We raised her case during the protest, and His Majesty gave his directives so that she can be treated,” the uncle told local media. He added that Health Minister Amine Tahraoui had also contacted the family to ensure that follow-up measures are in place.
Protests amid hospital crisis
The child’s harrowing plight unfolded against the backdrop of mounting anger in Agadir over a series of deaths at the hospital’s maternity ward. Residents say at least 10 women have lost their lives there in recent months, sparking outrage over alleged negligence and lack of medical staff.
The most recent case involved a woman who died shortly after giving birth, leaving behind a newborn without a mother. Similar tragedies have fueled protests outside the hospital, with locals demanding urgent reforms, accountability, and transparent investigations.
Minister Tahraoui has since dismissed several senior officials, including the regional health director and the hospital director. Contracts with companies providing cleaning, security, and reception services were also terminated.
During his visit, Tahraoui found serious deficiencies, including shortages of medicines, absent staff, and malfunctioning equipment. In response, a new shipment of essential drugs has been delivered, contracts for maintenance secured, and a replacement scanner installed at the facility.
Systemic health failures
The Agadir protests have reignited a wider debate regarding the state of healthcare in Morocco, where many hospitals continue to suffer from chronic shortages of staff, equipment, and medicines.
On social media, anger has been mounting, with many Moroccans saying that only when scandals erupt and protests gain momentum do authorities take action.
Most argue that families should not have to stage demonstrations or attract media attention to secure basic care, stressing that the health sector should be under constant scrutiny.
While Hassan II Regional Hospital has become the latest flashpoint, many Moroccans maintain it is anything but an isolated occurrence. All across the country, patients experience long delays, inferior conditions, and preventable catastrophes that amount to systemic failure rather than random mistakes.
The situation points to the urgent need for a nationwide overhaul of public health services, as dismissals and emergency interventions alone cannot resolve the structural gaps undermining patient care.
