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Marrakech – Ongoing protests across multiple Moroccan cities have accelerated the appearance of Health Minister Amine Tahraoui before parliament to discuss the state of the country’s healthcare system.
The Social Sectors Committee in the House of Representatives will hold a meeting on Wednesday, October 1, at 3 p.m. in the Moroccan Hall with the Minister of Health and Social Protection.
The committee will address “the current situation of the healthcare system and measures taken to accelerate its reform to ensure citizens’ right to treatment and healthcare,” according to a request from parliamentary groups.
The meeting comes amid widespread protests led by young demonstrators calling themselves “GenZ 212.” The initial healthcare protests began two weeks ago with a demonstration in Agadir over “deteriorating services” at the Hassan II Regional Hospital Center.
These same demands for improved healthcare were then echoed in the more recent GenZ 212 protests that have captured national attention since Saturday, September 27, spreading across several Moroccan cities.
The Socialist Group – Federal Opposition had previously requested a meeting with the Health Minister to discuss the healthcare situation in the Souss-Massa region. They warned that the Hassan II Regional Hospital Center in Agadir is experiencing what they described as a “catastrophic” situation, unable to meet residents’ medical care needs.
The hospital, which receives dozens of transfer cases from surrounding provinces, suffers from a severe shortage of equipment, medical and paramedical staff, and essential supplies.
According to the request, this deterioration has driven residents to organize repeated protests and label the facility a “death hospital,” indicating the daily suffering of patients and their families. The group argued that this situation clearly violates the constitutional right to treatment and medical care.
Group president Abderrahim Chahid also raised concerns about delays in opening the new university hospital in Agadir. This facility was expected to significantly improve healthcare services in the region and provide training space for medical and pharmacy students.
Due to these delays, a significant portion of the region’s residents must travel to cities like Marrakech, Casablanca, or Rabat for specialized medical services unavailable locally.
Healthcare reform now dominates the government’s agenda
In response to the protests, Minister Tahraoui issued an order dismissing the Regional Director of Health and Social Protection in Souss-Massa. The Provincial Health Delegate, the director of Hassan II Hospital in Agadir, and other regional and provincial officials were also removed.
Contracts with reception, cleaning, and security companies were terminated as well.
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection had previously announced the launch of field support committees for public hospitals beginning in September.
This initiative is part of implementing the national health system reform and aligns with royal directives to establish a social state, universal social protection, and guarantee the constitutional right to healthcare.
These committees aim to support public hospitals needing technical assistance from central and regional ministry services, strengthen hospital roles, and support medical and administrative teams in establishing continuous improvement dynamics and developing management and governance methods to meet citizens’ expectations.
The Health Minister has also directed central and regional service officials to take necessary measures to provide a safe and suitable work environment for healthcare professionals.
This includes protection from occupational diseases and risks, ensuring respect and dignity for the profession, and providing rest areas for staff on guard and on-call duties while improving their food services.
Tahraoui has mobilized ministry services to reinforce compliance with regular work hours and professional ethics following an increase in unauthorized absences, repeated tardiness, and leaving work before the end of legal hours.
The government coalition held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the recent protests. Sources confirmed the meeting included Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, Secretary-General of the National Rally of Independents (RNI).
Nizar Baraka, Secretary-General of the Istiqlal Party, also attended alongside the tripartite leadership of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM): Mehdi Bensaid, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, and Fatima Saadi.
In related developments, the government council will meet on Thursday under Akhannouch’s chairmanship. The council will discuss three draft decrees related to healthcare: determining the responsibilities of the Ministry of Health, compensation for medical training students, and amending the royal decree on hospital internships.
