Morocco: Doctor Appeals to King Mohammed VI Over Corruption and Death Threats

“I filed a report on corruption in the department, and the responsible authorities reacted. But what prompted me to request urgent royal intervention is that I began receiving threats intended to intimidate me,” recounts Dr Ahmed Jarmoumi, a resident physician in the pediatric surgery department of the Mère-Enfant Hospital under Casablanca’s Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center. In a video posted on his Facebook account, he describes a toxic work environment in every respect.

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“The meetings intended to discuss medical cases, which should be a space for training and exchanging experiences, have turned into an arena for destroying self-confidence and spreading venom and humiliation instead of scientific teaching. This has had a negative impact on our physical and mental health,” denounces the specialist, emphasizing that these practices violate Article 22 of the Moroccan Constitution, which protects the physical and moral integrity of every person, and contravene Article 78 of the General Civil Service Statute, which requires the administration to protect civil servants against threats and humiliation.

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According to Jarmoumi, this toxic atmosphere has pushed some doctors to leave the department, change specialties or even leave Morocco because of “injustice, pressure and humiliation,” while the number of resident doctors does not exceed six. This situation has consequences for the department: a severe staff shortage combined with an increased workload for the remaining doctors.

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“Today, we are facing a dangerous situation in which a single doctor often finds himself responsible for all pediatric emergencies in the Casablanca-Settat region, whose population exceeds 7 million inhabitants, including approximately 1.9 million children under the age of 15,” reports Dr Jarmoumi. He warns of a direct threat to the health of Moroccan children and the quality of medical training: “Our voice is speaking out today to the public so that everyone understands the extent of the suffering shared by doctors and children within this department, and so that every party assumes its responsibility for protecting the health of these children, who are the apple of this nation’s eye.”

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“Corruption does not always mean corruption of the system; it can be concentrated among certain individuals. With complete patriotism and total confidence in the country’s supreme lawman, we are appealing to King Mohammed VI to launch an urgent investigation, restore the pediatric surgery department and create a work environment based on mutual respect and serious scientific supervision. Ultimately, this will serve the patient’s interests and the future of medical training in our country,” the doctor concluded.

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