Morocco Expands Health Insurance to Cover Infertility Treatments, Benefiting 1.75 Million

Published in the Official Bulletin of December 24, 2020/N6946, this list of medicines will allow easier access to care for many patients. About 1.75 million people are affected by this decision. According to Prof. Omar Sefrioui, gynecologist-president of the SMMR, this is a major decision that will give another face to the management of infertility in Morocco.

The cost of treatment is very high and does not leave too much chance for needy couples. Some go so far as to abandon their desire to have offspring, for lack of means. Many couples have fallen apart unable to cope with the family, social or psychological problems that have resulted from a life without children. For the president of the SMMR, "this is the first victory of a long-standing struggle led by the SMMR and all the learned societies involved in this field as well as the associations supporting infertile couples".

This initiative is a logical continuation of Law 47-14 governing Medically Assisted Procreation (MAP), which recognizes infertility as a pathology. The SMMR does not intend to stop at this victory. It is determined to pursue this struggle to achieve the democratization of MAP. Moreover, many training cycles have been organized, via the SMMR digital platform: Insemination, in vitro fertilization, prenatal diagnosis, medication.

Currently, the sector is heavily impacted by the health crisis. Many couples have put their procreation project on hold because of the lockdown, while time is a key factor in the management of infertility. Unfortunately, with the crisis, several centers have suffered heavy losses, others have even declared bankruptcy, while these are very important investments.

According to a SMMR survey, 11.8% of Moroccan couples have difficulty conceiving, or more than 850,000 couples. This is why the president of the SMMR reaffirmed that this decision represents a considerable advance in the management of infertility and medically assisted procreation.