Critical Childbirth Drug Shortage Endangers Pregnant Women in Northern Morocco

The Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region is facing a severe shortage of Syntocinon, a drug made available in the hospital environment in the form of an injectable solution based on Oxytocin. It is impossible to find it in the pharmacies of public hospitals in the region, in private pharmacies and clinics, even though it is of great use during childbirth, especially in case of insufficient uterine contractions during childbirth, uterine retraction after birth or uterine atony following a postpartum hemorrhage. Doctors also use Syntocinon in obstetric surgery (cesarean section, pregnancy termination).

"The disappearance of Syntocinon from the pharmacies of public hospitals dates back more than a month," which really threatens the lives of pregnant women, said Ahmed Kaidi, head of the anesthesia and resuscitation department of the Saniat Rmel provincial hospital in Tetouan, and also provincial secretary general of the national union of public sector physicians, to the Arabic-language newspaper Al Akhbar. The shortage of Syntocinon is due to high demand in the private sector.

To solve this problem to some extent, administrations of certain public hospitals in the North go to certain local hospital centers to obtain small quantities of Syntocinon. They also transfer some pregnant women to provincial hospitals to give birth. Some doctors are considering alternative treatments.