Rabat – The recent health crisis at Hassan II Regional Hospital in Agadir has set off a wave of protests across Morocco; citizens gathered outside public hospitals to demand urgent reforms and respect for their right to healthcare.
The crisis began after several pregnant women died following cesarean operations at the hospital. Locals said these deaths could have been prevented if there had been better care, proper equipment, and enough medical staff.
The incidents fueled anger and led to repeated protests in front of the hospital, where families and civil society groups denounced what they called a “catastrophic health situation.”
Videos filmed by locals and shared widely on social media showed overcrowded waiting rooms, families pleading for care, and patients left without proper treatment. The images sparked outrage and encouraged people in other cities to organize their own protests outside public hospitals.
Calls for dignity and equal access
In Agadir and beyond, protesters carried slogans such as “Health is a right, not a privilege” and “Dignity starts at the hospital doors.” Many accused authorities of ignoring the suffering of ordinary citizens, saying that good care is available only for those who can pay or have connections, while ordinary Moroccans face neglect, humiliation, and sometimes death at hospital doors.
The protests come at a time when Morocco is attempting to expand social protection and improve the health sector, but many projects have faced delays. Citizens say that promises of reform have not translated into better services, especially in regional and rural hospitals where equipment and medical staff are often lacking.
Observers say the crisis highlights deeper issues of inequality in healthcare, with some regions left without even the basic services required to save lives.
In response to the protests in Agadir, Health Minister Amine Tahraoui dismissed several senior officials, including the Regional Director of Health for Souss-Massa, the local Health Delegate, the hospital director, and other regional health officials.
He also terminated contracts with companies providing cleaning, security, and reception services in light of their inefficiency. Tahraoui announced that investigations have been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding recent maternal deaths at the hospital, with detailed reports being prepared for each case.
He added that essential medicines have been delivered, urgent maintenance and repairs of medical equipment have been arranged, and a new scanner has arrived to replace a broken one.
However, the crisis in Agadir has sparked a nationwide wave of protests, with citizens across Morocco demanding that reforms and improvements be implemented in public hospitals throughout the country.
