Rabat – A deeply troubling incident occurred on the Rabat-Sale tramway early yesterday morning, when a pregnant woman went into labor aboard the vehicle and gave birth under harrowing conditions, according to converging reports.
The newborn was rushed to a nearby hospital but tragically died. The incident sparked widespread shock and renewed criticism of Morocco’s healthcare system.
Reports say the mother initially tried to seek help at Moulay Abdallah Hospital in nearby Salé, but was allegedly refused admission for unclear reasons. With no other choice, she boarded the tram heading toward Moulay Youssef Hospital in Rabat.
The woman reportedly began experiencing labor pains around 6:30 a.m. while traveling on the tram. She was at the Joulane station when her contractions became intense. An ambulance was called, and she and her baby were taken to the maternity hospital at the Souissi hospital complex in Rabat. However, despite the urgent care, the infant did not survive.
News of the incident spread quickly on social media, where many Moroccans expressed outrage. Several users blamed health authorities for the deplorable conditions surrounding the birth, saying that no woman should be forced to give birth on public transportation in the 21st century.
Others linked the tramway baby’s death with larger systemic issues, including years of underinvestment, staff shortages, and overcrowding in public hospitals. This tragic event is being widely interpreted as more than just an accident.
In Agadir, for example, protests have erupted in recent months over a string of maternal deaths at Hassan II Regional Hospital. As many as six or more women died in a short span, many after emergency C-sections. This triggered fierce demands for accountability, better staffing, and urgent hospital reform.
In response to the uproar in Agadir, and the subsequent Gen Z protests that shook the country, the government announced a major rehabilitation plan to overhaul the hospital and its maternity services.
However, critics say these are band-aid measures that fail to address deeper structural problems. These include lack of specialist doctors, failing infrastructure, long wait times, and poor coordination between facilities.
