More than 38,000 people affected by chronic kidney failure in Morocco
According to figures from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the number of patients suffering from chronic kidney failure in an advanced stage is estimated at more than 38,000 people, who are undergoing treatments, either through hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation for cases that may benefit from this surgical treatment.
The ministry emphasized in a statement its efforts in collaboration with government sectors and the active participation of nephrologists from the public and private sectors, as well as civil society organizations active in this field, to provide appropriate treatment options covering all prefectures and provinces of the kingdom, and enable patients to access appropriate care, thereby reducing both medical and financial suffering for the patient, their family, and the health insurance system.
In this regard, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection provides care to approximately 6,000 patients through public hemodialysis centers (144 centers). Within the framework of health programs, various important measures are also being taken to encourage preventive behaviors and enable early detection of the disease, especially for people with diabetes and high blood pressure.
Furthermore, the generalization of health coverage since December 2022, which has led to the integration of former beneficiaries of the medical assistance scheme (RAMED) into the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), constitutes a notable advancement by offering them equal access to care and treatment in both the public and private sectors according to the prevailing legislation.
It is worth noting that these efforts have resulted in a first phase in eliminating waiting lists for dialysis, as there are currently no patients with end-stage renal failure waiting for dialysis treatment, thanks to improved accessibility to care, through ministerial circulars aimed at providing treatment to patients with end-stage chronic kidney failure who previously had no health coverage, pending regularization of their situation to participate in mandatory health insurance through the CNSS.
Moreover, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection is currently working on developing kidney transplantation as an ideal therapeutic option for a large number of patients with end-stage kidney failure. The ministry also continues its efforts to expand the provision of care by establishing new hemodialysis centers, collaborating with specialists in university hospitals to implement a complementary program for the development of peritoneal dialysis treatments, which allows patients, especially children, to benefit from this technique enabling them to follow dialysis sessions at home and carry out their daily activities without the need for travel and spending long hours each day, three days a week, in dialysis centers, preventing them from pursuing their studies and necessary educational and recreational activities for their balanced development.
