Teenage Mother Dies After Childbirth in Casablanca Hospital, Family Alleges Negligence

Salma, just 18 years old, died just after giving birth at the Moulay Rachid hospital center (formerly Sidi Othmane hospital) in Casablanca, reports Le Matin.ma. This death has caused emotion and anger. The young mother’s parents claim that their daughter died due to medical negligence and corruption. "My daughter had no illness, except for high blood pressure that appeared from the 7th month of pregnancy. She did not receive the necessary medical follow-up after childbirth, which is why she died," recounts her mother, calling on the Minister of Health to "urgently go to the hospital to inquire closely about the suffering of poor families and patients in the face of the indifference and injustice of certain employees." The family of the young mother is demanding the truth.

According to the father and husband of Salma, the noted shortcomings are numerous: no control of the medicines administered to the mothers, medical care is entrusted to cleaning women, cats roam everywhere in the delivery rooms and scare the mothers. The mother of the deceased also states that the doctor had received an amount of 1,000 DH in exchange for the caesarean section. When questioned about the amount, an anonymous doctor indicates that it is simply blackmail. For childbirth in a public hospital, he explains that there are two cases: if the woman presents the Ramed, she gives birth for free, whether it is by natural delivery or by caesarean section. In the absence of the Ramed, she would be asked to pay around 500 DH in the case of natural delivery, and around 1,900 DH for a caesarean section. "What is certain is that the payment is made at the hospital cashier, who is responsible for issuing an invoice," he assures.

After Salma’s death, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection issued a statement saying it had opened an investigation to shed light on this case. The gynecologist who took care of the deceased will therefore be questioned, and responsibilities will be determined.