Marrakech Hospitals Overwhelmed as COVID-19 Cases Surge, Exhausting Medical Staff

According to the latest report, Marrakech recorded 135 (10,127 in total) new cases and is once again among the trio of the most contaminated cities. This influx of patients who tested positive is noticeable at the public hospital Ibn Zohr. According to Imad Soussou, vice-president of the National Federation of Health and emergency physician at the CHU Mohammed VI in Marrakech, patients have been directed to this aging hospital since the beginning of the pandemic.

According to him, the hospital does not meet the standards in force and does not have the necessary equipment either. "All patients are mixed in the same room, barrier gestures are not respected... The hospital itself has become a cluster! Since the beginning of the pandemic, three directors have succeeded each other at the head of Ibn Zohr, after having thrown in the towel in turn," he deplored.

To these difficulties are added the deprivation of vacations for the nursing staff, a low salary and the infection of some members of the medical staff (130 to 150 staff members). "Our main problem is the war on oxygen. We are sorely lacking for patients in intensive care. In addition, our bed capacity is saturated," he added.

The recent visit of the Minister of Health to the city was unable to resolve anything. According to the vice-president of the National Federation of Health and emergency physician at the CHU Mohammed VI in Marrakech, it is a smoke screen, because "he (the Minister of Health, editor’s note) did not even visit the Ibn Zohr hospital, the heart of the scandal".