Morocco’s Health Sector Falls Short Despite Billions in Funding, Experts Call for Policy Overhaul

The Colloquium organized by the General Treasury of the Kingdom, in collaboration with the International Association of Public Finance (FONDAFIP) on Saturday, September 26, has the theme: "What right to health in Morocco and France? Financing of health, territories and Artificial Intelligence.

According to Noureddine Bensouda, the Treasurer General of the Kingdom, Morocco has allocated nearly 22.7 billion DH of credits to the health sector under the 2020 Finance Act, including 18.7 billion DH of payment credits, or about 6.2% of the general state budget expenditure for the year 2020. This is far from the rate recommended by the World Health Organization, between 10 and 12%.

"Reported to GDP, total health expenditure generally oscillates between 5 and 6%. This rate is considered too low," deplores the Treasurer General of the Kingdom. It should be added that direct household payments represent more than 50%, compared to less than 10% for France and around 35% for Greece for example.

The coverage rate of the population in Morocco, all schemes combined, is around 68% and the eligibility mechanism for the Medical Assistance Scheme for the Economically Destitute (RAMED) is not the most fortunate.

This is all the more important as King Mohammed VI addressed this issue in his speech to the nation on July 29, 2020, on the occasion of the Throne Feast, by giving his High Directives for the launch of the process of generalization of social coverage for the benefit of all Moroccans within a period of 5 years from January 2021.

Local authorities will have to get involved in the effective mobilization of tax resources, in order to contribute to health policy at the regional and local levels.

It is also necessary to review all environmental taxation to put it at the service of health, with strong actions and decisions to fight against pollution, the consumption of tobacco and alcohol which have serious consequences on the health of populations. This would reduce health expenditure upstream.