Morocco Enhances Refugee Healthcare with Strategic Partnership

Monday 24 June 2024 - 11:10

In a significant move to bolster healthcare services for refugees, the Noufissa Pharma 5 Foundation, UNHCR, and the Moroccan Family Planning Association (AMPF) have inked a three-way agreement, coinciding with the observance of World Refugee Day.

The partnership, lauded by all parties involved, is seen as a crucial milestone in the ongoing efforts to improve healthcare provisions for refugees in Morocco. Yasmine Lahlou-Filali, Vice President of the Noufissa Pharma 5 Foundation; François Reybet-Degat, UNHCR Representative in Morocco; and Abdellatif Maamri, Executive Director of AMPF, jointly signed the agreement, underscoring their collective dedication to this cause.

A Commitment to Refugee Well-being

The newly signed agreement reaffirms the Noufissa Pharma 5 Foundation's pledge to donate medications valued at one million MAD over the next three years. This significant contribution will directly benefit refugees in Morocco under a collaborative healthcare initiative led by AMPF and UNHCR.

The initial supply of medications has already been delivered to AMPF, which will distribute them through its health centers as a pivotal partner in implementing UNHCR’s health initiative in Morocco. This expanded partnership builds on the foundational work laid out during the initial agreement signed on December 19 of the previous year.

Strengthening Solidarity and Inclusion

Since its inception in 2019, the partnership between Noufissa Pharma and UNHCR has laid the groundwork for enhanced collaboration, focusing on improving refugees’ access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. Lahlou-Filali emphasized Noufissa Pharma 5’s unwavering commitment to supporting refugee integration, particularly regarding healthcare access, aligning with the royal vision of solidarity and inclusion.

Reybet-Degat highlighted the alignment of this partnership with the theme of the 2024 World Refugee Day, which emphasizes solidarity and inclusion. He commended Morocco’s national strategy on immigration and asylum, which prioritizes integrating refugees into the healthcare system, supported by partnerships with private sector entities like Pharma 5 and dedicated NGOs such as AMPF.

Ensuring Steady Healthcare Support

Maamri articulated that the agreement aims to ensure a consistent supply of medications to refugees through AMPF's healthcare services, facilitated by UNHCR’s support and the Noufissa Foundation’s contributions. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to mobilize private sector clinics and practitioners to provide free consultations, treatments, and surgeries to refugees residing in Morocco, as outlined in a multiyear partnership agreement signed in June 2020 between the National Council of the Order of Physicians of Morocco (CNOM) and UNHCR.

Promoting Humanitarian Principles

This tripartite partnership not only underscores Morocco’s commitment to humanitarian principles but also highlights the nation’s efforts to create an inclusive environment where refugees can rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society. The collaborative efforts of the Noufissa Pharma 5 Foundation, UNHCR, and AMPF serve as a testament to the power of solidarity in addressing the healthcare needs of vulnerable populations.