Morocco's Healthcare Transformation: Spain's €500,000 Investment to Strengthen Family Medicine

Morocco is undertaking a transformative initiative to strengthen its healthcare system by adopting Spain's esteemed family medicine model. This ambitious effort is powered by a €500,000 investment from the Spanish government, facilitated through the CSAI Foundation under Spain's Ministry of Health, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper The Objective.

The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) fully subsidized the funding, which was approved in November 2021. The project spans a 36-month execution period from February 1, 2022, to January 31, 2025, with a formal launch in March 2024. This significant milestone is part of Morocco's strategy to enhance its primary healthcare infrastructure.

As outlined in the grant resolution, obtained through the Transparency Portal, the primary goal is to assist Morocco's Directorate of Hospitals and Health Centers (DHSA) in implementing and financing key activities. The funds also cover operating and structural expenses for the CSAI Foundation, supporting a comprehensive approach to the project.

The CSAI Foundation's website describes the project's core activities, which focus on strengthening the managerial and clinical skills of healthcare professionals, implementing a new organization and management system in health centers, and supporting reforms to improve the quality of primary care for Moroccan citizens. The project involves a mix of courses, seminars, workshops, exchanges, and internships in both Spain and Morocco, all designed to bolster the Moroccan Ministry of Health's efforts in family and community health.

The grant resolution meticulously details the distribution of funds, with €340,000 allocated to project-related expenses. This includes €80,000 to form an expert committee of professionals from Morocco and Spain, responsible for guiding the development of family medicine in Morocco. An additional €200,000 is set aside for capacity-building in selected health centers across the intervention regions, while €60,000 is dedicated to developing a communication plan to facilitate the integration of key reforms. 

Operational and structural expenses receive €50,000, covering general administrative, personnel, and management costs not tied to specific activities. An additional €2,000 is for auditing, €100,000 for personnel, and €8,000 for a final external evaluation, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the project.

This project builds on the momentum of the "Averroes" initiative launched in 2016 with a €700,000 grant to develop family medicine in 20 health centers across four Moroccan regions: Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi, Souss-Massa, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.

Morocco's adoption of the Spanish family medicine model is timely, given that the country only established this specialty in 2023. The AECID project report highlights the challenges faced by Morocco's healthcare system, including a shortage of doctors—with only 1.51 healthcare professionals per 1,000 inhabitants—well below the World Health Organization's recommendation of 4.45.

Budget constraints exacerbate these issues. Morocco allocates just 5.69% of its budget to healthcare, falling short of the WHO's recommended range of 10 to 12%. This underfunding leads to high patient flows, which hampers continuity and patient follow-up. In addition, clinical infrastructure is often inadequate, with poorly equipped clinics, cramped spaces, and "dilapidated" buildings that compromise privacy and confidentiality—key elements of quality healthcare.

Morocco's healthcare revolution, backed by Spain's €500,000 investment, signifies a bold step toward improving primary care. With international collaboration and a robust plan to enhance family medicine, Morocco is poised to offer its citizens more accessible, comprehensive, and compassionate healthcare.