Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection, Amine Tehraoui has advocated for strategic investment in African health systems during a high-level forum on sustainable health financing held in Tangier on Wednesday.
According to an official statement, the event brought together African ministers of finance and health, as well as representatives from international organisations and technical and financial partners.
Organised under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI and in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the forum was part of the 58th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development.
In his address, Minister Tehraoui emphasised the need to treat health as a strategic investment rather than merely a public expenditure. “The real question is no longer whether we can invest in health, but whether we can afford not to,” he said, underlining the central role of resilient health systems in Africa’s economic and social stability.
The call comes amid sustained population growth across the continent, placing increasing pressure on healthcare infrastructure. Moroccan authorities highlighted that the challenge extends beyond the volume of funds mobilised to their effective use, including strengthening preventive policies, improving patient pathways, and leveraging data to guide public decision-making.
Minister Tehraoui cited Morocco’s experience as an example, noting the expansion of medical coverage to nearly 88% of the population and structural reforms in the health system. These reforms involve governance restructuring, service delivery reorganisation, human resource development, and accelerated digitalisation processes.
Building on this approach, Tehraoui called for a broader transformation of African health systems, based on better alignment between health and budgetary policies, the development of local industrial capacities, and strengthened supply chains. He also stressed the importance of regional cooperation, citing the Moroccan initiative Marbio as an example of contributing to the continent’s health sovereignty.
According to the organisers, the Tangier forum aims to boost international partner engagement and foster concrete solutions to the challenges of health financing in Africa.
MK/AK/te/lb/as/APA