Rabat – Princess Lalla Asmaa visited 10 children recovering from cochlear implant surgeries in Rabat today, including five from Panama who received treatment under the Lalla Asmaa Foundation’s “Nasmaa” program.
The visit took place at the National Center for Rehabilitation and Neuroscience, where the children, accompanied by their families, are receiving care following operations performed in recent days.
According to a statement from the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, more than 1,100 Moroccans have benefited from free cochlear implant surgeries through the foundation’s work.
The “Nasmaa” program forms part of Morocco’s efforts to improve access to healthcare and support the inclusion of people with disabilities. The foundation said the program reflects King Mohammed VI’s commitment to these objectives, as well as Princess Lalla Asmaa’s continued involvement in supporting children with hearing impairments.
A team of eight Moroccan surgeons carried out the operations under the medical supervision of Professor Abdelaziz Raji, head of the ear, nose and throat department at Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech.
The medical team also included Major General Fouad Benariba, Professor Leila Skalli, head of the ear, nose and throat department at Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat, Professor Abdelatif Oudidi, Ezzedine Lachgar, Amal Hajjij, Noureddine Rami and Mohamed Mohtare.
The foundation covers the entire treatment process, from cochlear implantation to rehabilitation. The implants stimulate the auditory nerve directly, while rehabilitation and long-term speech therapy help the brain recognize sounds.
The five Panamanian children follow the same treatment protocol as their Moroccan counterparts, including medical examinations, surgery, activation of the implant, and rehabilitation.
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Panama has become the 22nd country to join the “Nasmaa” program and the second in Latin America after El Salvador.
The foundation said its work builds on a model developed in Morocco, which extends to inclusive schools in Rabat, Tangier and Meknes. The initiative draws on Morocco’s experience in hearing care and aims to make that expertise available to partner countries around the world.
In Africa, only 10% of the 33 million people who need hearing assistance receive the necessary care, according to figures cited in the statement. The World Health Organization (WHO)estimates that every dollar invested in hearing care generates a return of $16.
To address this challenge, Morocco has developed a care system through the foundation, covering services from early screening for newborns, launched by Princess Lalla Asmaa in 2023, to ongoing medical follow-up.
Upon her arrival at the center, Princess Lalla Asmaa was welcomed by Panama’s ambassador to Morocco, Espeth Quiel Murcia, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra Wali Mohamed Yacoubi, regional council president Rachid El Abdi, and Rabat city council president Fatiha El Moudni. Agdal-Ryad district council president Abdelilah El Idrissi Bouzidi also attended.
Other officials present included Karim Sqalli, executive president of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation; Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation Director General Mohamed Methqal; regional health group director Professor Ibrahim Lakhal; National Center for Rehabilitation and Neuroscience director Omar El Menzahi; and Hospital of Specialties director Professor Malik Boulaadas.
