Morocco’s medical schools saw an 88% increase in student capacity in 2024, according to Amine Tahraoui, Minister of Health and Social Protection.
This significant expansion aligns with the country’s strategy to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals and enhance the nation’s healthcare services.
Speaking at a hearing in the House of Representatives, Tahraoui outlined the ministry’s plans to create 7,543 new seats in medical schools by 2027, backed by a budget of 3 billion dirhams ($297.34 million).
The minister detailed an increase in slots for nursing and health technician programs, which reached 8,360 for undergraduate degrees and 680 for master’s programs in 2024. The ministry aims to further raise this number to 11,900 by 2029.
Efforts are also underway to establish 16 research groups and 4 doctoral research laboratories within higher institutes for nursing and health professions, Tahraoui added.
In addition, the ministry plans to expand residency positions for medical specialists over five years, increasing annual allocations by 100 positions for contractual residents and 50 positions for non-contractual residents.
The initiative aims to bolster Morocco’s healthcare workforce from 18 to 45 professionals per 10,000 inhabitants by 2030, in line with World Health Organization standards, according to Tahraoui.
The ministry has already invested in this effort, committing to the allocation of 6,500 budgetary posts by 2025 to reinforce healthcare services.
However, the country’s healthcare education system has faced challenges, including a student doctors’ strike that began in December 2023. The strike raised concerns about clinical training quality, equitable distribution of internships, and clearer pathways to postgraduate specialisation.
Moreover, Morocco loses between 600 and 700 doctors annually to emigration, exacerbating the shortage of healthcare professionals in the kingdom.
This outflow, coupled with an uneven distribution of resources, presents a critical challenge for the nation’s health sector.
MK/ac/lb/as/APA