Specialists working in the field of psychiatry in Morocco are looking forward to introducing fundamental reforms in the medical field in which they work, especially after the Corona virus pandemic confirmed the urgent need to advance this field, as well as the increasing number of citizens who need psychological support.
The total human resources in the field of mental health in Morocco do not exceed 121 doctors, while only a very small number of doctors graduate each year, as the number of graduates from medical schools in this specialty during the past year did not exceed 7 doctors, according to official figures revealed by the Minister of Health. And social protection last December in Parliament.
Morocco has less than one psychiatrist for every 100,000 people, compared to the global average of 1.7 for every 100,000 people, while the number of patients with mental disorders is increasing.
About 49 percent of Moroccans aged 15 years and over suffer from psychological or mental disorders, primarily depression, which affects 26 percent of citizens, according to the national population survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
And if the current situation in the field of psychology in Morocco is characterized by great weakness, whether with regard to human resources or infrastructure and equipment, then the Moroccan Association of Clinical Psychologists believes that the plan to reform this medical field should focus on four main areas, which are the legal field, and the field of Communication, the field of continuous formation, and then the focus of partnerships.
In a report, the association noted that the role of psychologists has become more necessary than ever in light of the transformations that Morocco is experiencing, in order to keep pace with the social development process in which the Kingdom has been involved, and among its priorities is health care in its various dimensions.
There is an official recognition that the current situation of the psychiatric system in Morocco is bad. In addition to the figures issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, in turn, considered the great shortage of human resources working in this field, and in hospital beds, which do not exceed 2431 beds. “It indicates a weak state investment in the psychological care system.”
The Moroccan Association of Clinical Psychologists affirms that the advancement of the mental health system will make it possible to benefit from the expertise of specialists in this field to combat the most worrisome health problems resulting from recent societal changes, especially those related to the “Covid-19” epidemic.
The problems that the field of psychiatry suffers from are not limited to the lack of human resources and poor hospital infrastructure, but the field has also become a target for intruders, by exploiting social networking sites and sometimes the media, to present themselves as specialists.
The Moroccan Association of Clinical Psychologists calls for strengthening legislation related to the profession of psychology, protecting the rights of its practitioners, and more specifically protecting the rights of citizens who benefit from the multiple interventions of psychology, noting that these are often in a state of psychological distress, weakness and poor choice, “or even catastrophic dangers.” And the harmful results sometimes caused by chaotic practice by amateurs and intruders in the field without scientific foundations.
