Guelmim - Oued Noun - Health
Significant progress has been made during the past few years in basic medical care and the expansion of health infrastructure.
According to 2021 statistics, thanks to the numerous achievements and quality services provided in health facilities, both in rural and urban areas, the health care rate in the southern provinces is well above the national average.
Morocco's health strategy to increase access to basic care and improve equipment and infrastructure has been successful.
As is the case with other regions of the Kingdom, the Region of Guelmim - Oued Noun has developed significantly in terms of the mainstreaming of medical care and the strengthening of healthcare infrastructures.
Regarding the region's healthcare infrastructure, the latest statistics reveal that it has greatly developed, and now has over a hundred healthcare facilities covering the four provinces, including hospitals, urban and rural health centers and dispensaries.
Nearly 200 doctors, of all specialties, provide the necessary healthcare to the urban and rural population in these facilities.
Mindful of the need to mainstream healthcare more broadly, the government has launched a project to build a regional hospital in this southern Region of the Kingdom. This major project, to be completed by 2023, will provide the university hospital with accommodation departments (medicine, surgery, mother and child), outpatient activities (day hospital, consultations, functional explorations, hem dialysis, etc), a medical-technical platform PMT (operating theatre, imaging, UTA, emergency room, laboratory and so on), logistics (kitchen, laundry, pharmacy, sterilization, etc), and administrative services.
The training of necessary and qualified human resources is done in tandem with the launching of healthcare infrastructures. The Region now possesses a Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques.
The Region of Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra offers its population and visitors various basic health care services. It guarantees patients the right to receive integrated health care in various services of Moulay Hassan Ben Mehdi Hospital in Laayoune, whose surgical services have been developed and extended. This hospital will be strengthened by the construction of neonatal intensive care service and the expansion of the psychiatric service.
To provide the best care and afford all necessary medical specialties, the Ministry of Health has brought modern equipment in health care facilities in partnership with the Region. It has also provided patients with an integrated and equipped center of blood transfusion, a pediatric department, a delivery unit and a fully equipped emergency department to receive urgent cases.
A regional oncology center with a capacity of 2000 patients per year has been constructed on a total area of 3215 square meters in Laayoune, allowing the reception of cancer patients from the Regions of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab and Guelmim-Oued Noun. There has been also the creation of a public health laboratory and a reproductive health reference center for early detection of breast and cervical cancer.
As is the case with Laayoune, Tarfaya has developed its healthcare services by building and completing a hemodialysis center with an estimated budget of 4.490 million MAD. This project concerns the treatment of patients suffering from kidney failure, especially the needy population.
This center has a bed capacity of 20 beds. It contains a hemodialysis room, a hemodialysis room for emergency cases, a central warehouse, a maintenance room, offices and facilities for health executives.
The health sector in Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Region has witnessed a remarkable development, especially during the last five years. The Region’s healthcare infrastructure enables the local population of various health services.
Thanks to its well-equipped facilities, Dakhla’s Hassan II Regional Hospital is the main destination for patients. It includes 5 surgical centers with an increase in the number of specialties moving from 6 to 21.
The competent authorities have made enormous efforts to develop health services and empower its inhabitants of the right to access to health care. In this regard, an institute specialized in nursing and health professions has been established in Dakhla, which has become the main provider of qualified human resources for hospital services covering more than 50% of the nursing staff. Also, several courses related to this field have been established.
To ensure better management of the health sector in Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Region and improve health services, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the private sector, has established medical laboratories and created more than 15 medical offices. Meanwhile, preparations are being made to inaugurate three private clinics. There have also been many structural development projects in the health sector, which will increase the healthcare offer in Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Region.
In this connection, the radiology department of Dakhla’s Hassan II Hospital has two magnetic resonance imaging machines; five surgical complexes, including two emergency complexes; three complexes for scheduled operations; a unit of maternal and child health and several examination and reception rooms for urgent cases.