Morocco is gathering momentum to halt the spread of the virus which has plunged the entire planet into a state of major health emergency, causing nearly 37,000 deaths and 760,000 infections in a few months. Relatively spared, the Kingdom of Morocco, where general confinement was introduced on March 20, has around 1000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 today. To face the rapid outbreak of the pandemic, King Mohammed VI immediately shifted to the offensive and put all of the stakeholders to work on an aggressive response plan where every day counts.
On March 2nd, Morocco recorded the first patient tested positive for coronavirus on its soil. Since then, the country has embarked on a serious race against the clock to avoid a national health tragedy. These are the details of the 5 highlights of the Moroccan anti-Covid strategy.
An immediate response plan based on a series of preventive actions
By adopting the opposite view of several European countries hit hard by the epidemic, Rabat chose the pathway of prevention and immediately adopted a series of drastic measures. The Kingdom gradually barricaded its borders, closed schools and universities, cafes, restaurants and non-essential shops, then cancelled all sporting, cultural and artistic events before closing all the mosques and places of worship.
On March 18, a few days after the announcement of the first local case positively tested for the Covid-19, the Minister of Health, Khalid Ait Taleb, held a live press briefing during which he called on the population to limit their movements to the maximum and to apply voluntary confinement.
Two days later, the country of nearly 35 million people declared a state of health emergency and enforced a general confinement, which will last until April 20 at least. Starting from March 20 at 6 p.m., everyone leaving home should possess a written authorization to do so.
Massive public awareness and dissuasive sanctions
The Ministry of Health hammered good hygiene rules and precautionary measures repeatedly on television channels, radio, and social media to prevent the spread of the virus. Furthermore, the authorities embarked on a massive awareness campaign using town criers to get the message across to as many people as possible.
As the general confinement came into effect last Friday, the first weekend of confinement was not easy to handle for the Moroccan authorities. Many violations of safety regulations have been recorded in several cities, namely in Tangier and Fez, where dozens of residents gathered on the streets to invoke God in such a crisis.
To prevent the reoccurrence of this kind of actions, the State has decided to crack down on such violations and impose coercive sanctions. Failure to comply with the state of health emergency is therefore punishable by between one- and three-months’ imprisonment, as well as fines ranging from 300 to 1,300 dirhams (around 123 euros).
A special solidarity fund to fight the pandemic and limit its economic and social impact
The battle against the coronavirus will come at a price. In this regard, King Mohammed VI ordered the creation of a fund dedicated to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. In less than a week, the fund raised more than 30 billion dirhams (3 billion euros) thanks to the contribution of different Moroccan stakeholders, including big companies, senior civil servants, parliamentarians, senior and high-ranking officers, politicians, etc. for these are difficult times that require solidarity.
This special fund is dedicated to upgrade the infrastructure of the health system, acquire the medical equipment necessary to treat patients tested positive for Covid-19, to manage the repercussions of the pandemic on health, and to cushion its economic and social impact.
All citizens are invited to contribute, according to their financial means, in this national solidarity. The Moroccan State has thus opened a special bank account for citizens to remit their individual donation, and set up an SMS solidarity number “1919”; each SMS represents a donation of 10 dirhams.
To help the most vulnerable population get through this crisis, particularly the most affected by the freezing of the economic activity in the country, this fund will allow the payment of a 2,000 dirhams compensation per month (around 187 euros) to all employees affiliated to the CNSS (social security fund) who are currently in a work stoppage.
In addition, 1 billion dirhams has been allocated to the Ministry of Health to upgrade the infrastructure of the health system and acquire medical equipment in preparation for a possible degradation of the epidemiological situation.
Reinforcement by military forces
The images of the armored units roaming the streets leave no room for doubt; the army is also taking part in the fight against the coronavirus. The 56-year-old monarch gave his order to deploy the military medical and paramedical personnel to reinforce the medical structures of the country. In the same context, the social services of the Royal Armed Forces and the Royal Gendarmerie will also be deployed.
Bearing in mind the tragic example of Italy, which is still mourning its deaths, Morocco quickly decided to deploy all of its health resources in anticipation of a possible worsening of the situation.
Already on March 17, King Mohammed VI chaired a meeting with the head of government, Saâdeddine El Othmani; the Minister of Health, Khalid Ait Taleb; the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit; the Director General of National Security (DGSN), Abdellatif Hammouchi; the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces, General Abdelfattah EL Ouarak; the Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Mohamed Haramou. This meeting was devoted to monitor the management of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
A new therapeutic protocol: Morocco bets on chloroquine
It is the treatment everyone is talking about. While studies and clinical trials are still carried out in renowned European and American laboratories, Morocco has officially adopted chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat confirmed cases of Covid-19.
In a circular dated Monday, March 23, the Minister of Health, after consultation with the technical and scientific committee of the National Program for the Prevention and Control of Influenza and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections in the Kingdom, gave the green light to use this treatment in the therapeutic management of Covid-19.
It is worth noting that recently, the Moroccan government has acquired from Sanofi laboratory the entire stock of drugs sold under the commercial names of “Nivaquine” and “Plaquenil”, which were manufactured at the industrial site of Sanofi Maroc in Casablanca.
The stocks of these two drugs, initially indicated to treat and prevent malaria, were fully “made available exclusively to health establishments, with a strict treatment protocol which is subject to monitoring and control”, reports 2M, a Moroccan TV channel.
To provide a better treatment for patients infected with coronavirus, the country has chosen to learn from the Chinese experience. Last Monday, March 23, the national airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), announced on its Twitter account the arrival of two airplanes from China, carrying medical equipment.
