Casablanca – Morocco’s public health system is facing one of its most critical moments in decades. A string of preventable deaths, shortages of medical staff, and aging infrastructure have fueled widespread protests and raised urgent questions about governance, funding priorities, and the future of healthcare in the country. While citizens demand basic access to safe and reliable treatment, the private healthcare sector is recording record profits, highlighting a widening gap between public needs and market realities.

Protests ignite nationwide debate

The crisis came to national attention in early September 2025, when a series of tragic incidents at Hassan II Regional Hospital in Agadir triggered mass demonstrations. In a single week, six young mothers reportedly died after cesarean deliveries. Locals and medical staff described the deaths as preventable, citing inadequate equipment, insufficient staffing, and administrative delays.

On September 14, hundreds of residents gathered outside the hospital to denounce what they called a “catastrophic health situation.” Protesters carried signs reading “Death Hospital” and “Hospitals, not football fields,” reflecting anger over government spending priorities. A doctor at the hospital posted a video warning that patients feared for their lives and condemning the unexplained delay in opening the fully equipped but still-unused University Hospital Center (CHU) in Agadir.

The outrage quickly spread beyond Agadir. Videos shared on social media revealed similar scenes of overcrowded wards, long waits, and critical shortages in cities across the country. Demonstrations soon erupted outside public hospitals in Casablanca and other regions, as citizens demanded access to adequate healthcare. Lawmakers and civil society representatives joined the outcry, highlighting the severe lack of critical equipment and specialized medical personnel in densely populated areas.

A system in decline

Data from official reports confirm the depth of the crisis. According to the Ministry of Health’s 2024 health map, Morocco has only one hospital bed for every 1,307 residents—far below international standards. Most of these beds are concentrated in just five regions, leaving large parts of the country critically underserved. An Afrobarometer survey shows that only 38% of low-income citizens can access healthcare easily, reflecting sharp inequalities in service delivery.

Governance issues compound the shortage of resources. The Court of Accounts has repeatedly criticized the lack of effective oversight in the health sector, while the National Authority for Probity, Prevention, and the Fight Against Corruption estimates that corruption affects more than two-thirds of officials in the field.

Spending priorities under fire

Public anger is intensified by what many view as skewed government spending. While hospitals struggle to provide basic care, authorities are investing between $5.15 and $6.19 billion to upgrade stadiums in preparation for the 2030 World Cup. Reports that construction workers from the Ibn Sina University Hospital project in Rabat were temporarily reassigned to speed up stadium renovations have further inflamed public opinion.

These spending choices are particularly contentious given that roughly 75% of Morocco’s hospitals fail to meet World Health Organization standards. Protest slogans such as “Hospitals, not football fields” capture a growing sentiment that national priorities are being misplaced at the expense of citizens’ health.

Private sector records historic gains

While the public system faces crisis, the private healthcare sector is booming. Companies listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange in the health sector have posted historic revenue growth of nearly 70%, outperforming traditional market leaders in construction, automotive, and banking. A recent report by Attijari Research Center (AGR) revealed that in the second quarter of 2025, the healthcare sector recorded a 67% increase in activity, leading all 13 tracked sectors on the exchange.

This surge occurs against the backdrop of a generally favorable economic environment, with Morocco’s GDP growing by 4.6% in Q2 2025 and inflation remaining low at around 1%. But the contrast between private sector gains and public sector decline underscores a deepening inequality in access to care.

Demands for urgent reform

The nationwide protests are more than isolated acts of frustration—they signal a profound crisis of confidence in Morocco’s ability to guarantee the basic right to health. Citizens are calling for immediate actions: the recruitment of doctors and nurses, the acquisition of modern medical equipment, and the swift opening of new facilities like the Agadir CHU.

Unless decisive reforms are implemented to strengthen governance, redistribute resources, and rebalance public spending, Morocco’s health crisis risks becoming a long-term emergency. For many citizens, the question is no longer whether the system can be improved, but whether the state can be trusted to protect the lives of those who depend on it most.