The specter of measles, thought to have been relegated to medical history books, is once again haunting the northern regions of Morocco. The appearance of active outbreaks, particularly in the Tangier-Tétouan-Al-Hoceima region, is causing great concern. More than a simple health problem, this resurgence reflects a deep malaise in the management of public health policies.
Doctor Tayeb Hamdi, health systems researcher, draws an uncompromising observation: decline in vaccination coverage, poor epidemiological surveillance and families' relaxation of vaccination. However, this diagnosis, as relevant as it may be, calls for clear responsibilities.
Measles: an epidemic time bomb
Measles is not a passing flu. It is a viral disease with formidable contagiousness: an infected child can contaminate 16 to 20 people. The mode of transmission, by respiratory route or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces, makes this virus an elusive enemy. The consequences go far beyond the initial symptoms – fever, cough, irritability and red rash. Complications, such as blindness or encephalitis, leave irreversible after-effects. And, for some, especially infants and children under five, measles is fatal.
By 2023, the virus has infected more than 10 million people worldwide, a 20% increase from 2022, causing more than 100,000 deaths, mostly among children. It is not a disease that “passes”; it is a disease that strikes, and often with incredible violence.
Morocco, once considered a model in terms of childhood vaccination and particularly that against measles, seems to have lost its momentum. According to the Ministry of Health, no region today reaches the critical threshold of 95% vaccination coverage necessary to stem the spread of measles. Some regions fall dramatically short of this figure, exposing thousands of children to the danger of measles.
How did we get there? Doctor Hamdi mentions global causes, such as vaccine hesitancy against measles amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, blaming family reluctance or collective ignorance would be simplistic. The truth is that this decline reflects a relaxation of awareness campaigns, a lack of mobilization of health authorities and an insufficiency of catch-up programs. This is not a problem of popular will, but of institutional inertia.
Regions in crisis: mirror of territorial disparities
The regions affected by measles – Beni-Melal-Khénifra, Souss-Massa, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima – are not statistics on a health map. They embody a two-speed Morocco with which territorial disparities become the breeding ground for epidemiological crises. These regions, often marginalized in terms of access to care, are bearing the brunt of the consequences of what could be called “vaccine resignation” according to Dr. Tayeb Hamdi.
The Ministry of Health must ask itself the right questions: why do these already vulnerable areas not benefit from equitable access to vaccination programs? Why is epidemiological surveillance, once a pillar of Moroccan health strategy, collapsing where it is most needed?
Measles vaccination is a proven tool. Two doses administered – one at nine months and a second a few months later – are enough to protect a child over the long term. From 2000 to 2021, this vaccine has saved 56 million lives worldwide. However, in Morocco, it is not enough to preach the effectiveness of vaccination. You also have to convince. And, to convince, we must regain the trust of families.
Two-speed vaccination: shared responsibility or collective failure?
Measles vaccination is not just a medical procedure; it is a social act. Hesitant parents are not enemies of science. They are distraught citizens, influenced by a global context where contradictory messages around vaccines are multiplying. The Ministry of Health must redouble its efforts to reestablish this bond of trust. Awareness campaigns, interventions in schools, mobilization of community leaders: every initiative counts. But time is running out. An unvaccinated population is a vulnerable population, and every day lost is an open door to new outbreaks.
The return of measles to Morocco is more than a health failure. This is a wake-up call for a faltering public health policy. If the country has been able to shine with its exemplary nature in terms of vaccination, it must today face the harsh reality of a costly relaxation. Policymakers must understand that this is not just a medical challenge, but a societal imperative. The lives of our children, territorial equity and the future of a health system capable of prevention instead of cure are at stake.
Doctor Tayeb Hamdi's observation is lucid about measles, but it leaves a bitter taste. May the health systems researcher forgive us, but talking about relaxation without questioning the deep roots of this problem – regional disparities, lack of investment in public health, absence of a coherent strategy – risks exonerating those who hold the levers for change. The diagnosis has been made, but it must be accompanied by a bold and pragmatic prescription. Because in this fight against measles, it is not enough to name the disease; we must also act. And, quickly!
