HIBAPRESS – Ahmed Al-Musaed
In a humanitarian initiative that reflects the values of solidarity and openness, the city of Oujda hosted this Sunday morning, March 29, a multidisciplinary medical caravan aimed at providing health and psychological care for migrants from sub-Saharan countries. This initiative, which came in cooperation between the Belgian association "Bisma" and the Association for Development and Culture Cooperation (Acodique), sought to bring medical services closer to a group living in exceptional and fragile conditions.
The caravan was not limited to cursory examinations, but included precise and vital specializations, including orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, dermatology, pediatrics, and gynecology. The organizers confirmed that the number of beneficiaries exceeded 500 people of different nationalities (Sudan, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and Congo), with a special focus on cases suffering from chronic diseases or injuries resulting from the conditions of asylum and displacement.
In a statement on the occasion, Dr. Khalid Belkadi, a specialist in orthopedic surgery, explained that the participation comes to provide assistance to African citizens who are going through difficult stages, emphasizing the humanitarian and professional duty to provide medical care "as far as possible" to overcome health crises.
This caravan was distinguished by the significant presence of psychiatrists, due to the nature of the cases suffering from "post-traumatic stress disorder" (PTSD) as a result of wars or arduous journeys. Dr. Wafa Al-Zaimi, a psychiatrist in Oujda, stated that the observed cases often require urgent intervention and long-term treatment, stressing that the goal is not just an instant consultation, but rather ensuring "follow-up" medical care that can extend from 6 months to a year to ensure the recovery of patients.
For his part, a beneficiary from Sudan praised the level of organization and care, considering that this initiative provided migrants with an opportunity to meet doctors in specializations that are difficult to access under normal circumstances, expressing his gratitude to Morocco as a host country that provides health care and dignity to its guests.
This initiative is not the first of its kind for the Belgian association "Bisma," as Mohamed Berbouch, the president of the association supervising the caravan, announced a distinguished outcome of previous surgical interventions in the Eastern region and the rest of the Kingdom, including Berkane: 94 surgeries at Darraq Hospital, Azilal: 121 surgeries, Tangier: 74 surgeries (last October), Oujda: monthly operations for "Glory" disease and distribution of wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs for people with special needs.
In addition to health care, the association continues to support people in the street situation in Brussels, by providing meals and clothing throughout the year, where breakfast meals in the month of Ramadan reach 400 meals per day, with the distribution of clothes and the follow-up of the legal files of migrants in coordination with specialized human rights associations.
The caravan concluded its work by distributing free medicines to the beneficiaries, while emphasizing that the next appointment will be a direct follow-up of the difficult cases, embodying the slogan "Health is a right for all" regardless of borders or nationalities.
