Morocco launches 4-billion-dirham mental health reform plan

Morocco has launched the 'Plan Santé Mentale 2030', a national strategy aimed at transforming the country's mental health care model. The initiative seeks to shift the focus from centralized hospitalization toward prevention, community-based care, psychosocial support, and social reintegration.

According to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, approximately 6.5 million Moroccans live with a mental health disorder, including 2 million children and youth. Currently, an estimated 85% of those affected lack access to necessary care. To address these gaps, the government has allocated nearly 4 billion dirhams to implement 86 specific actions and measures.

Key objectives of the plan include: - Increasing mental health bed capacity from 2,466 to approximately 4,728 by 2030. - Expanding the number of psychiatric hospitals from 10 to 17 and intermediate structures from 4 to 24. - Significantly increasing specialized personnel, including raising the number of public sector psychologists from 32 to 786. - Enhancing training for psychiatrists and specialized nurses.

The reform emphasizes early detection and the integration of mental health services into primary care, involving family doctors, nurses, and midwives to provide more accessible support.