Health professionals in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region express their dissatisfaction with several unresolved problems which impact their daily lives and their motivation. Among the main points of friction are the management of staff housing, health program premiums, as well as on-call allowances, which remain major areas of tension in the public health sector. These concerns led to a series of meetings between union representatives and local officials from the Ministry of Health, including the MOH human resources director, in the hope of finding concrete solutions.
In a press release sent to Hespress FRthe Béni Mellal Khenifra Regional Office of the Independent Union of Nurses indicated that an important meeting took place on December 7, 2024, at the initiative of the Director of Human Resources of the ministry, in the presence of the Regional Director of Health, the delegate provincial of Khouribga, and representatives of local unions. The objective was to discuss outstanding issues and put in place concrete actions to ease tensions and improve the working conditions of health professionals in the region.
One of the major problems raised during the meeting concerns the allocation of staff accommodation. The unions denounced practices deemed “ opaque » et « illegal“, reporting that 14 housing units are currently busy without respecting the criteria set by the ministry. Union representatives insisted on the need for transparent and equitable management of these resources, recalling that many agents find themselves in precarious situations due to the poor distribution of housing. In response to these concerns, the Director of Human Resources assured that measures would be taken, in particular the establishment of a central and regional commission to carry out an inventory and reorganize attributions in an equitable manner, explains the press release.
Bonuses linked to health programs have also been a point of contention. Health professionals have complained of recurring delays in the payment of compensation, which has contributed to a climate of frustration and discontent. The unions stressed that certain departments, such as those of Oriental and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, have managed payments more efficiently, while other regions, notably Béni Mellal-Khénifra, are facing a “ incomprehensible blocking“. Union officials demanded explanations for these dysfunctions and called for rapid solutions. The ministry promised to resolve this problem as quickly as possible by coordinating efforts at the central level to regularize the situation.
Childcare allowances were also at the heart of the discussions. Nursing staff in the region deplore unequal management of compensation, particularly at regional hospitals. The unions insisted on the importance of guaranteeing fair and equitable compensation for overtime worked, while denouncing the inadequacy of the compensation offered in certain structures. The Director of Human Resources took note of these concerns and assured that actions would be taken to standardize practices in all health institutions in the region.
Another topic raised during the meeting concerned the training of nursing students. According to the independent nurses’ union, the range of care available in terms of hospital establishments is limited to just one, the Khenifra regional hospital, which experiences a form of ” monopoly in favor of private sector students« .
This negatively impacts the training of nursing students at ISPITS, underlines the press release, noting that the Director of Human Resources reacted by indicating that a central commission is in the process of preparing an updated ministerial circular, following the circular Ministerial No. 700 dated March 44, 0742, which will explain how to organize internships in such a way as to guarantee priority to ISPITS students.
In addition, the Regional Director committed to going to the province of Khenifra and organizing a meeting with the provincial delegation on Thursday, December 12, 2024, in order to find a solution to the problem of internships and guarantee a definitive solution which will ensure students their right to learning and training.
Faced with these multiple concerns, the ministry has made commitments to resolve these problems within a reasonable time frame. However, unions have warned that they will remain vigilant and ready to take protest action if the promised solutions do not materialize quickly. All stakeholders involved agree that improvements are necessary to ensure a fairer and more stable working environment for health professionals in the region.
In the meantime, the unions have promised to continue their mobilization and to announce new actions if the situation is not resolved satisfactorily. A new meeting is planned to take stock of progress and assess the effectiveness of the measures taken.
