The reduction of the maternal mortality remains a major challenge for Morocco in its quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (ODD) by 2030. This challenge, which has long been at the heart of national health strategies, has given rise to significant progress over the last two decades. According to Amine TahraouiMinister of Health and Social Protection, the maternal mortality indicator has fallen dramatically, recording a drop of 70% between 2000 and 2020. This announcement was made on Monday during an oral questions session at the House of Representatives.
In his speech, the minister specified that the number of maternal deaths had fallen from 244 per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 72 in 2020. He attributed this progress to sustained efforts in the field of reproductive health and obstetric medicine. . “This progress reflects Morocco’s commitment to improving medical supervision in the field of gynecology-obstetrics“, he said. To maintain this positive dynamic, the Ministry of Health intends to redouble its efforts. Among the future measures to be adopted, Mr. Tahraoui announced the opening of additional positions intended for training of doctors specialists in gynecology-obstetrics, within the framework of annual contracts via residency competitions. This initiative aims to fill the deficit in specialists and strengthen public health structures, while guaranteeing better accessibility to care.
The minister also insisted on the central role of medical specialties in the quality of the services offered. “The importance of gynecology-obstetrics goes beyond the medical framework, it guarantees the health of women, mothers and newborns, thus contributing to a healthier society,” he emphasized with conviction.
This progress is part of the commitments made by Morocco to achieve the SDGs, in particular Objective III, which aims to reduce maternal mortality world to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. In this regard, the Kingdom has undertaken structural reforms aimed at modernizing its health system. It is worth mentioning the expansion of universal medical coverage, the strengthening of local care and raising awareness among rural populations of good maternal health practices. Strategic partnerships with international organizations, such asWorld Health Organization (WHO) andUnicefalso helped to strengthen these efforts. These collaborations led to the launch of vaccination campaignsimproving prenatal services and training medical personnel in remote areas.
Progress marred by persistent challenges
However, despite this progress, regional disparities remain worrying. Rural areas, often underserved, still face significant challenges in access to care. The recent incident in the mountainous region of Tikokht is a poignant illustration of this. Two weeks ago, distressing images posted on social networks showed a pregnant woman being transported on a board normally intended for transporting the dead, due to a lack of suitable means of transport. Surprised by the pains of childbirth, she had to be moved on “that board” by locals to an ambulance stationed several kilometers away, unable to reach her village due to impassable roads. This tragic event sparked a wave of indignation and raised questions about the absence of dispensaries in these isolated areas.
Still a long way to go
The sad incident in Tikokht recalls the urgency of more targeted action to open up isolated regions and guarantee quality care to all Moroccan women, regardless of their geographic or material situation. While Morocco can welcome the notable progress made, much remains to be done to ensure equity in access to maternal health services. Only continued mobilization and asserted political will will make it possible to meet this challenge and make this progress long-term.
