The health sector is called upon to play a central role in south-south cooperation, said Saïd Afif, pediatrician and president of the Moroccan Society of Medical Sciences, on Thursday.
According to data from the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, 19,256 African students, or nearly 83% of the 23,411 foreign students enrolled in Morocco in 2021, chose the Kingdom for their studies. The medical field is among the most attractive sectors.
In a statement to the African Press Agency, on the eve of the opening of the first African Pediatric Congress, scheduled for January 10 to 12 in Casablanca, Mr. Afif underlined the importance of strengthening early childhood health in Africa through research and scientific exchanges.
« Morocco welcomes many African students who have chosen medicine as their preferred field », he declared, highlighting the need to train these future practitioners taking into account the specificities of the continent.
The 1st African Pediatric Congress is part of this vision, bringing together several scientific associations specializing in pediatrics at the international, European and African level.
This event will be an opportunity to discuss major topics relating to the health of newborns, infants and children, as well as associated challenges across the continent, he added.
Organized under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, this congress reflects Morocco’s active presence on the African scene, particularly in the field of health, in accordance with the High Royal Directives aimed at strengthening south-south partnerships.
-« Health is an essential pillar of this partnership and a lever of parallel diplomacy “, he insisted.
For the first time, the Dr Abdelatif Berrada African Pediatric Prize will be awarded on the sidelines of this congress. This prize aims to encourage projects and work in the field of African pediatrics, announced Mr. Afif.
The Casablanca Association of Pediatricians in the Private Sector is organizing this congress in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the Mohammed VI Foundation for Science and Health.
The event, which will be held in Casablanca, will include conferences and workshops, bringing together representatives of the International Association of Pediatrics, the French-speaking Association of Pediatricians of Black Africa, the Association of French-speaking Pediatricians, as well as other renowned scientific organizations from Europe, the Maghreb and the rest of the African continent.
SL/ac/Sf/APA
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