12 Might 2025, Rabat, Morocco – World Well being Group (WHO) Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy concluded her first official go to to Morocco, from 5 to 7 Might 2025. The go to represents a serious step in strengthening collaboration between WHO and the Authorities of Morocco.
Dr Balkhy’s assembly with Minister of Well being and Social Safety H.E. Amine Tehraoui targeted on reinforcing collaboration underneath the Nation Cooperation Technique 2023–2027. Dr Balkhy expressed WHO assist for Morocco’s well being system reforms and ambitions to increase common well being protection and counseled Morocco’s imaginative and prescient to reinforce well being and medication sovereignty within the nation and the Area.
Recognizing Morocco’s strategic function as a bridge between the Group and nations of the Area, Dr Balkhy underlined the necessity for elevated cooperation to launch new initiatives. Each events highlighted the significance of strengthening the Morocco-WHO partnership to realize shared public well being objectives, develop regional well being methods and cling to WHO pointers on epidemic prevention and pharmaceutical safety.
To advertise the Regional Director’s flagship initiative on increasing equitable entry to high quality medical merchandise, Dr Balkhy met with Mr Younes Hilali, Director of the vaccine manufacturing laboratory Marbio. Dr Balkhy counseled Morocco’s plans for native vaccine manufacturing to realize medication sovereignty.
The Regional Director additionally met with Director of the Moroccan Company for Medicines and Well being Merchandise Professor Samir Ahid and his group and visited the Nationwide Laboratory for Drug Management to study extra about their plans for native pharmaceutical manufacturing.
WHO will proceed its assist as Morocco builds its regulatory system and elaborates a nationwide pharmaceutical coverage to advance entry to secure, high-quality medicines and safeguard public well being.
A go to to TangerMed Port supplied a possibility to advocate for the ability’s potential to assist regional entry to medicines and medical gear, and for the nationwide border well being management unit to be acknowledged as a collaborating centre. They type an ecosystem that not solely strengthens Morocco’s well being safety however has potential to serve the broader Japanese Mediterranean Area with high quality, lifesaving vaccines, medicines and different medical merchandise.
Throughout a go to to the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) sentinel web site at Sheikh Zaid Hospital in Rabat, Dr Balkhy met with Director Dr Adil Ababou and his devoted group who offered their work on AMR surveillance. Dr Balkhy counseled their promotion of a one well being method by means of collective actions with the Ministries of Agriculture and Setting.
At Jawadi City Main Well being Centre Dr Balkhy met with Regional Director of Well being in Casablanca Dr Abdelmoula Boulamizat and a devoted group of well being staff delivering important care to the local people, together with immunization, maternal and baby well being care and assist for persistent circumstances. A go to to the Larger Institute of Nursing Professions and Well being Methods (ISPITS) supplied a possibility to see WHO’s collaboration with native companions in assist of the flagship initiative to construct a resilient, fit-for-purpose and sustainable well being workforce throughout the Japanese Mediterranean Area.
Dr Balkhy visited Maternity Les Orangers, a WHO collaborating centre on sexual and reproductive well being, coaching and analysis. The centre presents maternal and neonatal well being and household planning companies and offers coaching for members of the well being workforce from Morocco and different African nations.
In her conferences with Dr Salim Al Malik, Director Common of the Islamic World Academic, Scientific and Cultural Group (ICESCO), and with the United Nations Nation group, Dr Balkhy explored alternatives to strengthen partnerships between completely different organizations to advance well being in all insurance policies and deepen collaboration on local weather change resilience, psychological well being and social well-being, schooling and youth and neighborhood engagement.
The three-day go to and conferences with senior Moroccan officers and native companions allowed the completely different events to reaffirm their shared dedication to advancing well being objectives and reinforcing Morocco’s management throughout the Japanese Mediterranean Area, Africa and past.
Chosen pictures from the mission
Dr Hanan Balkhy on the Moroccan Company for Medicines and Well being Merchandise and Nationwide Laboratory for Drug Management 
Dr Hanan Balkhy on the Larger Institute of Nursing Professions and Well being Methods in Tangier
Dr Hanan Balkhy with Dr Salim M. AlMalik, Director-Common of the Islamic World Academic, Scientific and Cultural Group (ICESCO)
