Morocco’s Top Epidemiologist Denies Resignation Rumors, Affirms Commitment to Health Ministry

"No, I have not resigned and I have no conflict with the minister [Khalid Aït Taleb]. [...]", said Mohamed Lyoubi to Hespress, in an attempt to put an end to the rumors about his resignation and his conflictual relationship with his supervising minister.

"I have prioritized the interest of the country over any other consideration. And so, for the moment, I have not submitted my resignation," explained the Director of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Health. He will add that if he has not resigned in these critical times marked by covid-19, it is because he "preferred to put aside all the machinations of the minister’s (Khalid Aït Taleb) entourage and not pay too much attention to that, putting the interest of the country first".

According to him, "this (the problem) was unfortunately provoked by two people in the minister’s entourage. I have no problem with him; I respect him. But these two people in particular, or let’s say three, in the minister’s entourage, have provoked false problems".

These "false problems" have been going on "for quite some time, so much so that it has become unlivable, at least for me," laments Mohamed Lyoubi.