The Crisis in Morocco’s Public Hospitals: A Health System in Distress -

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Morocco’s public health system is under strain. Citizen protests and questions raised by political leaders are multiplying, revealing a troubling decline in services. A shortage of beds, a lack of medical staff, and aging infrastructure prevent hospitals from effectively meeting patients’ needs.

Wave of Protests in Agadir

In early September 2025, a series of demonstrations took place, culminating in Agadir in front of Hassan II Regional Hospital. This mobilization, which brought together hundreds of people on September 14, followed several deaths of young mothers in the maternity ward. MP Khalid Chnaq had already questioned the Minister of Health about the situation after the deaths of six young women following cesarean deliveries in a single week.

Protesters are demanding concrete improvements, including:

The opening of the new University Hospital Center (CHU) in Agadir.
The creation of “maternity homes” in the region.
The recruitment of additional medical and paramedical staff.
The acquisition of modern intensive care equipment.

Public anger has also been expressed through slogans denouncing corruption and the misuse of public funds, as seen in the phrase: “Hospitals, not football fields.” A doctor from Hassan II Hospital himself publicly denounced the situation. In a video, he emphasized that patients fear dying in the hospital and criticized administrative delays preventing the opening of the new CHU, despite the facility being ready.

A Nationwide Crisis

The situation in Agadir is not isolated. Videos circulating on social media show scenes of distress in other public facilities across the country. MP Najwa Koukous also raised concerns about Abderrahim Harouchi Hospital in Casablanca, where the death of a newborn was linked to the lack of incubators. She highlighted that the region, with over seven million inhabitants, has only one resident in pediatric surgery.

According to an Afrobarometer survey, access to healthcare is unequal, with only 38% of low-income people saying they can access it easily. The Ministry of Health’s 2024 health map report revealed a significant shortfall: Morocco has just one hospital bed for every 1,307 inhabitants—a figure well below international standards—with the majority of these beds concentrated in only five regions.

Resource Management: Questionable Priorities

Several structural issues have been identified. The Court of Accounts criticized the absence of governance bodies for the sector. Corruption, according to the National Authority for Probity, Prevention, and the Fight Against Corruption (INPPLC), is a major issue, allegedly affecting 68% of officials in the sector.

Furthermore, investment in healthcare appears poorly allocated. While massive sums are being directed toward upgrading stadiums for the 2030 World Cup (between 50 and 60 billion dirhams), the healthcare sector is struggling. According to Morocco World News, workers employed on the Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat were even reassigned to speed up stadium renovations—underscoring a glaring imbalance in government priorities. This situation is all the more difficult to accept given that 75% of Moroccan hospitals fail to meet World Health Organization standards.