Morocco Finishes Upgrade of 1,400 Primary Health Centers Across All Regions

Casablanca – Morocco has completed a nationwide program to rehabilitate 1,400 primary healthcare facilities, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection said, wrapping up one of the biggest overhauls of frontline health services in the country in recent years.

The announcement came after services were launched at the Ait Ourir proximity hospital and the level-two rural health center of Tazart in Al Haouz province, a final step that officially closed the government-led program.

The milestone lands at a time when Morocco’s health system remains under close public scrutiny, after months of protests and renewed debate over hospital conditions and the quality of medical training.

In late 2025, youth-led demonstrations in several cities again put pressure on authorities over what organizers described as outdated medical equipment, shortages of specialists, and uneven access to care, especially outside major urban centers.

The debate followed a prolonged medical student crisis that had already exposed concerns over reduced clinical hours, overcrowded training environments, and the system’s capacity to absorb ongoing reforms.  

Spread across all 12 regions of the country, the project involved a total investment of more than MAD 6.43 billion and has already benefited over 20 million people in both urban and rural areas, according to the ministry.

The government has pledged that facilities received “beyond simple renovations,” including infrastructure upgrades. The upgrade also covered newer medical equipment, and expanded digital systems through the rollout of an integrated information platform.

Health officials say the changes are already helping streamline patient movement, improve service quality, and reduce pressure on hospitals by strengthening primary care as the first stop in the treatment journey.

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Some regions saw especially large shares of the program. Fez-Meknes led with 229 rehabilitated facilities backed by more than MAD 1.024 billion, while Souss-Massa recorded 183 sites and the Oriental region 164.

Marrakech-Safi saw 139 facilities upgraded, compared with 143 in Beni Mellal-Khenifra. In Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, 90 facilities were covered, while Casablanca-Settat had 111 and Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima 127.

The southern regions were also included, with 31 facilities rehabilitated in Laayoun-Sakia El Hamra, eight in Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, 119 in Guelmim-Oued Noun, and 56 in Draa-Tafilalet.

The ministry said the program follows the broader national health reform agenda and aligns with framework law 06-22, as well as Morocco’s 2030 universal health coverage goals.

But the wider reform push is still facing friction on the ground. In March, dental students in Casablanca staged protests over shortages of clinical equipment and being asked to cover the cost of their own tools during hospital training, warning that the lack of materials risks weakening both their education and patient care.

The protests echo wider tensions seen over the past two years among medical students, whose strikes over curriculum reform, overcrowding, and training quality exposed the deeper structural challenges still affecting Morocco’s public health ecosystem.

What comes next is maintenance and expansion. Health officials vowed that the next stage will focus on preventive upkeep of the rehabilitated sites, wider use of electronic medical records, more continuous training for healthcare workers, and a full assessment of the program’s impact.

The long-term plan is to extend the effort across the rest of the national healthcare network while adding new facilities in areas that still need coverage.

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