Social Protection: HM’s Royal “Strategic” Vision Aims to Lessen Social Disparities (Ali Lotfi)

The strategic and global vision of HM King of Morocco Mohammed VI aims to reduce social disparities and reform the social protection system, said Thursday the president of the Moroccan Network for the Defense of the Right to Health Ali Lotfi.

Reacting to the launch of the social protection generalization project, the ceremony HM the King chaired on Wednesday at the Royal Palace in Fez. Lotfi stressed that it is a “new and multidimensional societal project”. ”Covering health, social and economic aspects since it concerns compulsory health insurance, the medical assistance scheme (RAMED) and compensation for loss of employment.

The shortcomings of the current social protection system have been exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic health crisis, noted Lotfi who is also the secretary general of the Democratic Labor Organization, noting that millions of Moroccans have lost their jobs without being able to receive benefits.

He further highlighted the establishment of a precise timetable for the implementation of this societal project and fixed deadlines for each of the programs, stressing the importance of the governance of public bodies, in particular through the creation of a unified body.

In this sense, from 2022, the 11 million citizens currently benefiting from RAMED, will begin to benefit from AMO, he said, explaining that the goal is not to have “two-tier health”.

Lotfi also welcomed the decision to provide for accompanying measures in the implementation of this societal project, considering that these measures are now essential if we want to benefit from the advantages of these programs.

In this sense, Lotfi highlighted the opening of the practice of medicine to foreign skills and the encouragement of international health establishments to work and invest in Morocco. This move, he said, will greatly contribute to the development of the sector, citing examples of foreign hospitals providing quality care and services in several Arab countries.

“This decision is in line with the local health policy because it will save Moroccans expensive and exhausting trips to seek treatment abroad,” he said.

“Nevertheless, it is not a question of privatizing the health sector but rather of stimulating the public sector which should develop to be at the level of foreign investments and those of private actors”, he concluded.