According to Oxford Business Group, Moroccan health indicators have improved steadily in recent years, although there remains room for improvement, even by regional standards. In addition, as in many countries, the burden of lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases is on the rise. Access to healthcare coverage has also been growing rapidly as the authorities roll out government-backed insurance schemes to an ever-growing number of citizens, with the country aiming to achieve near-universal coverage in the coming years. Meanwhile, recent regulatory changes have opened up the private sector to increased investment, and the public sector has been gaining ground on the former in terms of its level of spending.

In April 2017, the Moroccan Health Ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) signed a Health Sector Strategy for 2017-2021 takes account of the progress in the implementation of Moroccan health system reforms, and the WHO Global Program, particularly efforts made internationally to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The strategy has four broad lines, namely increasing fair access to affordable and quality services, reducing health inequalities, decreasing mortality rate, and fostering governance in the health sector.

The hospital network in Morocco is set to expand in line with government plans to improve access to care under the current strategic plan for the sector. To this end, construction work on eight new hospitals with a combined capacity of 1050 beds was launched across 2017 and 2018, with plans for 14 new facilities under the Health Sector Strategy 2017-21.

With regards to health insurance for Moroccans, speaking to media in early 2018, Anas Doukkali, the minister of health, said that 64% of Moroccans currently benefit from health coverage, a figure the authorities intend to increase to 90% by 2021.

There are two main public health insurance schemes in Morocco. One is an employer-based plan known as Compulsory Health Insurance, which was launched in 2005 and provides coverage to workers in the government and private sectors, as well as their dependants. 

The second main scheme is the Medical Assistance Regime (Régime d’Assistance Médicale, RAMED), which was launched in 2009 to provide cover for low-income Moroccans, such as those working in the informal sector. As of September 2018, around 12 million citizens were covered by RAMED. Members of the Moroccan armed forces are covered by a third government-backed scheme.

According to Oxford Business Group, private healthcare providers have also been expanding medical infrastructure. For example, Elsan, a private France-based health operator, constructed a 136-bed facility in the Bouskoura municipality of Casablanca called Clinique Ville Verte, which was inaugurated in January 2018.

There are around 360 private health care clinics operating in Morocco, according to US Department of Commerce figures, and over 12,000 doctors working in the segment. Until 2015, only doctors were permitted to own private clinics, but legislation passed that year removed this restriction, allowing both Moroccan and foreign individuals to establish clinics regardless of their profession.

While numerous health indicators, including life expectancy and infant mortality, have seen substantial improvement in recent times, lifestyle changes concomitant with economic development could make tackling the rising burden of
NCDs a challenge. Nonetheless, an increase in the sector’s budget allocation for 2019 suggests that public health is being prioritised in government planning. Continued investment will be necessary over the longer term; however, particularly if the goal of universal health care coverage is to be achieved.

Tunisia has set the healthcare sector as a national priority since independence and has pledged to provide free health services for the low-income population. Nevertheless, according to Oxford Business Group, the system is currently in need of pressing reforms to improve the quality of its services, particularly in the public sector. To this end, a reform announced by the government in March 2019 is set to overhaul the system and strengthen Tunisia’s position as a medical centre for Africa.

The health system comprises the public, private and public-private sectors structured around three levels of care: primary, secondary and tertiary. The public sector is the primary health care provider, accounting for 79% of total
hospital capacity in 2017. 

National health policies have emphasised the need to improve the quality and provision of primary healthcare throughout the country, as well to support the decentralisation of the system and providing care at the local level. Investment in training, equipment and primary health centres are supporting this decentralisation shift. Tunisia also delivers preventative healthcare services to school and university students.

Although health infrastructure is available throughout the country, regional disparities remain, notably in the south and central west. While primary health establishments are relatively spread across the territory, tertiary-level institutions are usually concentrated in big coastal cities, such as Tunis and Sousse. To help tackle this issue, Tunisia is adopting e-health solutions to broaden access to care. 

In terms of health insurance, which has been compulsory in Tunisia since 2004, around 82% of the population is covered, according to the Centre for Research and Social Studies in May 2019. Some 58% were covered by the National Social Security Fund, 17.5% were under the Reduced-Price Medical Assistance scheme,  and 7.3% were under the Free Medical Assistance scheme. This left 17.2% of Tunisians without health insurance.

Oxford Business Group highlights that the private health sector in Tunisa grew considerably over the last two decades, with the number of private hospital beds increasing from 2100 in 2001 to 6000 in 2019. The chairman of the National Federation of Health Boubaker Zakhama has said that this number is expected to reach 10,000 by 2024. Compared to the public sector, the private sector offers the bulk of heavy equipment, including scanners and MRI machines.

With a strategic geographic position and a relatively affordable healthcare system, Tunisia has long been regarded as a reliable medical destination in the region. Every year about 500,000 foreign patients seek inpatient care at Tunisian hospitals and around 2m-2.5m foreign patients utilise outpatient care. The bulk of foreign patients come from its bordering neighbours, Libya and Algeria, but a sizeable number also come from sub-Saharan Africa.

With a growing demand for services from both nationals and foreigners, the health sector remains a crucial pillar of Tunisia’s economy. Oxford Business Group indicates that the country’s low healthcare costs are a key competitive advantage, attracting patients from Africa and Europe. However, many challenges need to be addressed before the sector can realise its full potential. To this end, the raft of investments is expected to improve the quality and provision of care. The pharmaceutical industry also presents significant prospects for the sector, notably in dietary supplements, biosimilars and clinical research.

North Africa Health is a 3-day exhibition and congress that will take place in the second half of 2020 and the event connects key industry professionals from the region and abroad to meet, learn and do business.

The 2020 edition will host more than 180 exhibitors and 5,000 healthcare providers, medical practitioners, manufacturers, eHealth experts, key buyers, distributors, policy makers and stakeholders from around the world. The event will also highlight 5 key industry areas including Imaging and Medical Devices, Laboratory, SME & Innovation, Medical Tourism and National Pavilion.

Complemented by a diverse range of scientific and educational content, North Africa

Health will be hosting a variety of conferences and workshops including ESLM Laboratory Conference (CME-accredited), ESRNM Radiology Conference (CME-accredited) and Digital Healthcare Conference.