Territorial Disparities and Health Inequities in Morocco

During the last decades, Morocco has made noticeable achievements in terms of access to health and improvement of conditions of life in general. Several initiatives and action plans have been implemented, aiming directly or indirectly at reducing inequalities in general and health inequities in particular. The New Constitution created in 2011 states health care as a fundamental right of Moroccan men and women. Moreover, the country is engaged to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and in particular SDG3 which aims to “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” by leaving no one behind. In this direction, the country is moving toward universal health coverage (UHC) with the ambition to cover the majority of its population.  However, action on social determinants of health to reduce health iniquities remains a crucial challenge. Indeed, a recent study made by a consultant on health equity and SDH in Morocco showed that 23 out of 40 indicators considered were associated with severe health iniquity based on the values (>10%) of the index of dissimilarity or the concentration index related to inequalities by milieu (rural-urban), income, education level and territorial disparity by regions. Meanwhile, the Health Information System (HIS) in Morocco is still under construction.

This book deals with different aspects of health inequities in Morocco. It shows that huge gaps and unacceptable disparities are seen between rural and urban areas, rich and poor families, educated and non educated people in general and among women and girls in particular. Illustration is given by comparing vital health indicators like maternal mortality ratio (MMR), infant mortality rate (IMR), people in situation of disability, adolescent pregnancy and childbearing and others.

This book is a friendly easy document for readers of different levels and status, including students, academic staff, researchers and members of civil society. By advancing the evidence base, this book also constitutes a pragmatic plate-form for governments and health decision makers who are seeking efficient strategies to reduce unfair inequities by acting on social determinants of health.