Morocco expands international cooperation on childhood deafness through NASMAA program

17:05

Morocco is expanding the international reach of its expertise in the treatment of childhood hearing loss through the NASMAA program, an initiative led by the Lalla Asmaa Foundation that combines cochlear implantation with long-term medical and educational support.

The program has increasingly become a platform for cooperation with countries in Africa, the Arab world and Latin America, according to Brigadier General Doctor Fouad Benariba, head of the cranial surgery department at Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital in Rabat.

His comments came during a visit by Princess Lalla Asmaa, president of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, and Rachel Ruto, First Lady of Kenya and president of the Voice of Children Foundation, to children from Morocco and Kenya who received cochlear implants at Mohammed VI International University Hospital in Rabat.

The visit was held as part of the fourth phase of the international “United, We Hear Better” initiative and Morocco’s national NASMAA campaign.

From diagnosis to rehabilitation

The Moroccan program is designed to cover the different stages of care required by children with severe hearing impairment.

Rather than focusing exclusively on surgery, the model incorporates early diagnosis, cochlear implantation, auditory rehabilitation and speech therapy, alongside continued medical monitoring.

Benariba said the initiative reflects a long-term commitment to improving access to treatment while developing medical expertise that can be shared with partner countries.

The international component of the program has already extended beyond Morocco. Kenyan children have received cochlear implants through “United, We Hear Better”, while Moroccan medical teams have also traveled abroad to contribute their expertise.

One such mission took place in Nairobi in November 2025 and resulted in cochlear implantation for 70 Kenyan children.

More than 1,050 Moroccan patients treated

Professor Abdelaziz Raji, head of the ear, nose and throat department at Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech and a member of NASMAA’s technical and scientific committee, highlighted the role of professional cooperation in improving treatment standards.

According to Raji, exchanging experience between medical teams has helped streamline patient care and strengthen expertise in cochlear implantation.

He said the Moroccan program has so far provided cochlear implantation to more than 1,050 Moroccan children and adults who required the procedure.

The international initiative has also reached a wider population. More than 391 children from 22 countries across Africa, the Arab world and Latin America have benefited from “United, We Hear Better”, according to figures presented by the program's medical representatives.

Beyond surgery: supporting patients and families

Medical intervention is only one part of the treatment pathway for people living with severe hearing loss.

Professor Leila Skalli, head of the ENT department at the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Territorial Health Group’s Specialties Hospital, stressed the importance of maintaining close contact with patients and their families throughout the process.

For children receiving cochlear implants, post-operative rehabilitation and speech and language support are essential components of the longer-term process. Family involvement can also play an important role in helping children adapt to their new hearing capabilities and pursue their education and social development.

Skalli described NASMAA as the result of years of accumulated medical experience and said the program has progressively developed expertise that is now being shared beyond Morocco.

A model built around medical cooperation

The international dimension of NASMAA reflects a broader effort to combine healthcare delivery with knowledge transfer.

Through partnerships with medical teams and organizations abroad, Moroccan specialists have contributed to cochlear implantation programs while exchanging practices with professionals in participating countries.

The initiative therefore brings together several elements: access to specialized treatment, rehabilitation, family support and professional training.

For Morocco, the experience provides a framework for extending its medical cooperation in hearing care, while participating countries gain access to expertise in a field where early intervention and sustained follow-up can be particularly important for children.