Morocco has announced an investment of over MAD 800 million (approximately $79.29 million) to rebuild and improve healthcare facilities in the Al-Haouz region, which was devastated by a powerful earthquake in September 2023.
Health Minister Amine Tahraoui addressed a parliamentary session at the House of Councillors on New Year's Day, outlining the government's plan that focuses on repairing, restoring, and expanding 195 healthcare facilities that were damaged or impacted by the earthquake.
“195 facilities have been included in the emergency repair and restoration program, alongside a recovery plan focused on several construction, expansion, and renovation projects in the affected areas,” Tahraoui informed parliament.
The earthquake, which struck the Al Haouz region on September 8, 2023, killed at least 3,000 victims and left thousands of others homeless, significantly impacting several healthcare institutions in the region.
Deadly quake
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake, which struck the Al Haouz region on September 8, 2023, was the strongest instrumentally recorded earthquake in Morocco's history.
The earthquake also severely impacted the region's healthcare infrastructure, making access to medical care more challenging for the affected communities, Tahraoui added.
Authorities said the renovation initiative runs parallel to a broader plan aimed at enhancing the healthcare sector through the construction, expansion, and upgrading of infrastructure, with an estimated cost of MAD 818 million ($81 million).
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