The first Moroccan mobile hospital, which has just been set up in the locality of Boumia (about a hundred kilometres from Khénifra), represents an important opportunity for under-medicalised regions suffering from geographical inaccessibility, affirmed the provincial delegate of the Ministry of Health in Khénifra, M'hamed Berjaoui.

The hospital, the first of its kind in Morocco, has the majority of medical and surgical specialties and all the necessary support equipment and services, with the objective of serving the population of isolated and cold areas, said Mr Berjaoui in an interview with MAP, on Thursday on the occasion of the completion of the installation work of the mobile hospital in Boumia.

This hospital, which will operate in the region for a determined period, provides all care as well as surgical operations according to the disciplines free of charge, he indicated, also noting that the local population will thus be able to benefit, among other things, from screenings for diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, hydatid cyst and breast and cervical cancer, as well as various specialised consultations.

All cases will be treated at this hospital, set up in application of the decision of HM King Mohammed VI, he stressed, noting that regarding the medical and paramedical staff, a large number of doctors, including general practitioners, dental surgeons, gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, paediatricians, specialists in gastrology and ENT, nurses, pharmacists and some assistants will constitute the official team of this mobile hospital.

The mobile hospital, he continued, includes operating theatres equipped with special devices to carry out different types of surgical operations, emergency rooms, facilities for care and first aid, a medical analysis laboratory, including X-ray examinations, as well as ambulances.

After highlighting the primary role that this hospital will be able to play, which will be moved to the remote areas of the Kingdom, Mr Berjaoui made it known that the Ministry of Health has succeeded in coordination with various actors in the implementation of concrete prevention and awareness-raising actions, particularly in favour of people in precarious situations.

He also recalled that at the level of the Khénifra province, the large-scale awareness and mobilisation campaign for breast cancer screening launched by the Lalla Salma Foundation for Cancer Prevention and Treatment in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has been a great success. In figures, the number of beneficiary women reached 9,178 for the first time, 294 of whom were referred.

Regarding the new hospital in Khénifra, the delegate affirmed that the overall progress rate of the work is currently between 90 and 95%, noting that the structural work is completed.

The city of Khénifra will also see the upcoming construction of a psychiatric hospital. It will thus be equipped with modern facilities. Particular importance will also be given to reception areas and environmental protection, he concluded.