Brain Drain Crisis: Half of Morocco’s New Doctors Emigrate Annually

About 700 out of the 1,400 trained annually in medical schools are leaving Morocco to settle in Europe and Canada. According to Abdellatif Miraoui, who spoke before the House of Councillors, they come mostly from the faculties of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. "The Moroccan doctor is in demand in Europe. Thus, during the coronavirus crisis, Germany suspended visas for nationals of all countries in the world except for Moroccan students," reports the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

According to the private sector doctors’ union, nearly 300 doctors leave Morocco each year. Germany and France are their host countries. In fact, more than 8,000 Moroccan practitioners have already settled there. For the minister, an effective solution must be found quickly to this situation that is undermining the health system. "To fill the large deficit in doctors, it is not enough to increase the number of places in the faculties, but it is necessary to motivate the new graduates to stay in Morocco." Abdellatif Miraoui also proposes that the duration of training be reduced as is the case in some countries like the United States and Canada.

For the unions, "the working conditions and the weakness of the remuneration push a large number of executives to leave Morocco to settle in European countries and Canada." Before thinking of reducing the duration of training, they recommend improving the living and working conditions of doctors. For them, if the treatment was better, the situation would not be so alarming.