Morocco Boosts Health Budget by 5.8% to Combat COVID-19 in 2021

The 2021 budget of the department amounts to 19.774 billion DH, an increase of 5.8%. An amount of 15.5 billion DH, including 10.4 billion for the salaries of civil servants, will be allocated to operating expenses. The investment item will absorb a budget of 4.2 billion DH, an increase of 1.09 billion DH. This does not include the allocations granted (more than 2.2 billion DH) under the Special Fund for the Management of the Pandemic.

In order to solve the thorny issue of human resources, the government has allocated 5,500 budgetary positions to the Ministry of Health. The distribution of these positions will be between doctors, nurses and administrative staff. The partnership with local authorities will be strengthened in order to contribute to meeting the needs in doctors and nurses. This is expected to help reduce territorial disparities, particularly in rural areas. Another possible action: encourage contracting with private sector doctors to fill the deficits in human resources.

Mr. Taleb also stressed the need to universalize medical coverage in order to cover the entire population before the end of 2022, using a participatory approach. He also expressed the wish that negotiations with the various professional categories be accelerated so that the medical insurance of the self-employed and non-salaried workers can be launched.