Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco is a country in the Maghreb region, at only 14 Kms (8 miles) far away from Spain (Europe) which overlooks the Mediterranean sea in the north, and the Atlantic Ocean at its western seaboard.
It has a population of 37.6 million inhabitants where youth make up more than half of that population. Arabic and Berber are the official languages of the kingdom, while French is mostly used in administrations and among highly educated population. The culture in Morocco is a mix of Arab, Berber, African and European cultures. Rabat is its official administrative capital while Casablanca all and the economic one.
The universal health coverage system is one of the main reforms introduced in the health sector. In 2002, the Law N° 65-00 established the right to health for all and assigned tasks to key stakeholders to achieve that goal, which is to offer subsidized healthcare to all Moroccans regardless of their income.
The percentage of citizens with coverage grew from 15 percent in 2005 to 78 percent in 2022, and it’s expected to reach its goal by the end of 2025.
Morocco’s health insurance system is financed by a combination of employee and employer contributions and government financing.
The Ministry of Health is introducing a slew of new laws and undergo heavy reforms to improve healthcare infrastructures and services in Morocco.
Healthcare Sector
The state is the primary healthcare provider in Morocco, with 85 percent of supply provided by public hospitals and 15 percent by private centres. However, spending remains unbalanced. In 2022, the public system accounted for only 40 percent of health care spending, while the private sector accounted for 60 percent.
Public healthcare structure
There are six university hospitals, in Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, Oujda, Marrakech and Tangier. The country also counts 159 public hospitals and 14,300+ physicians in the public sector and a separate military healthcare system with six hospitals and a medical center. The Moroccan government has several multi-year plans to strengthen the current healthcare system through the development of new hospitals, increasing the number of doctors and nurses in training, and opening the market to private investment. To accelerate the sector’s reformation, the government allocated $2.8 billion to the healthcare sector in 2023 marking an increase compared to 2022, which is significantly increasing ever since.
Private healthcare structure
The private healthcare sector includes more than 400 private clinics, heavily concentrated in the Casablanca-Settat and Rabat- Salé-Kénitra regions, with 14,500+ physicians and a capacity of 14,500+ beds. Many new private clinics are in the pipeline while a partnership Public-private was launched y the government inviting private investments to join in for Public/Private Projects for diversification with the aim to offer further specialized healthcare services to all Moroccans.
Medical Device Regulations in Morocco
Medical device registration is conducted under the control of the Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy (Direction du Médicament et de la Pharmacie, DMP), which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health.
Foreign manufacturers are required to hire a local partner, either in the form of an AR or a distributor to handle regulatory affairs on their behalf and hold the registration certificate.
Classification system: Medical devices are classified as follow:
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Class I: either Im( measuring) or Is(Sterile),
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Class IIa
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Class IIb,
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Class III.
In vitro diagnostic reagents: None.
Registration process
To proceed with the registration of medical equipment, the MOH (Ministry of Health) requires the following:
1. Authorization of the manufacturer to permit a local company to register and market the products.
2. EC Certificate, FDA Certificate or FSC (Free Sales Certificate).
3. ISO 13485 certificate or equivalent.
4. EC Declaration of Conformity of Equipment with components and accessories.
5. Labels or nameplates photos (equipment and its accessories), signed & stamped.
6. User manuals.
7. Technical file: Product Data, Maintenance Manual, Technical Specifications, Qualifications, Tests of controls, Final Test Report, Flow Chart, Manufacturing Processes Description.
8. PDF colour catalogue (original).
Timelines:
The average time to obtain a certificate of registration is six months despite the fact that officially it only indicates 120 days for MDs. For IVDs the timeline is 12 months at its maximum.
Registration certificate is valid for 5 years.
Healthcare Industry in Morocco
The healthcare industry in Morocco is a growing sector that is full of opportunities for future investment, both in the public and private sector.
The medical device market is estimated at $236 million USD, with $191 million USD comprised of imports. Medical device imports supply approximately 90% of the market. As the local medical device manufacturing industry remains at an embryonic stage, most sectors of the market rely on imports.
Currently Morocco does not manufacture medical equipment. The local production is limited to medical disposables. The U.S., Germany, and France are the main countries supplying products to the local market. Recently, Italian products have been well received and accepted by the local population thanks to their good quality and attractive price. There is also an increasing demand for Turkish, Chinese, and Korean equipment.
Healthcare Business Opportunities in Morocco for the next decade
Strategic investments and reforms in Morocco’s healthcare sector are providing a solid platform for structural change, including building a large-scale healthcare infrastructure, large-scale infrastructure upgrades, a digitalization transition, and enhancing human resources. With a sizeable financial commitment from the government, skills, expertise, and innovations across the sector are in demand with an opportunity for foreign companies to bridge the gap.
Morocco is on a transformative journey towards universal healthcare coverage, supported by a comprehensive health reform program. To support this ambitious goal, the Moroccan government has introduced a health reform program based on four key pillars:
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Effective governance: Strengthening the management and regulatory framework of the healthcare system;
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Human resources development: Enhancing the quality and availability of healthcare professionals;
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Healthcare infrastructure improvement: Upgrading facilities and expanding healthcare services;
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Digitalization: Integrating technology to improve healthcare delivery and management.
Among these, the third pillar, the improvement of healthcare infrastructure, is particularly significant.
Large-scale investments supporting strategic goals and expertise across the entire healthcare value chain in demand
This pillar encompasses a series of critical projects and substantial investments aimed at revamping and expanding Morocco's healthcare facilities. This includes the construction of new hospitals and the modernization of existing ones, all with the goal of increasing access and improving the quality of healthcare services across the country. The current total investment for these projects is approximately $1.2 billion, and notable projects under this initiative include the state-of-the-art Mohammed VI International University Hospital with 553 beds & 20 ORs for a budget of $489 million, Rabat Ibn-Sina with 1000 beds and a budget of $620 million, each designed to meet the growing healthcare needs of the population.
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To bolster the country’s healthcare system, Morocco is undergoing its (2021-2030) plan to build/deliver eight new regional teaching hospitals, 29 urgent-care hospitals, and four university hospitals over the next decade. Within the Al Hoceima, Rabat, and Agadir regions the government plans to add 3,354 hospital beds with a total spend of $1.1 billion. In addition, the government plans to rehabilitate and remodel 21 regional (CHR) and provincial (CHP) hospital centres to add a further 3,254 beds with a total budget of $440 million.
These projects are part of a broader investment strategy, with the Moroccan government allocating substantial resources to the healthcare sector to meet their strategic ambitions. In 2024 alone, $2.3 billion has been earmarked for healthcare and social protection. This financial commitment is a clear indication of the priority being placed on health sector reform and the generalization of social coverage.
Alongside the infrastructure improvement, the pillars of digitalization and human resource development also present significant opportunities for foreign companies. The expected long-term changes and overall transition within healthcare in Morocco presents a unique opportunity for foreign companies specializing in healthcare infrastructure, medical technology, digital health solutions, and further innovative medical solutions. There is a substantial scope for collaboration, innovation, and investment in a market that is rapidly expanding and modernizing.
Another interesting opportunity is within the area of cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment. The Lalla Salma Foundation for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer was founded in 2005. This non-governmental organization has improved the quality of cancer management and access to cancer care for Moroccan patients. Currently, Morocco has 24 cancer centres – 12 public and 12 private – that treat over 60,000 new cases annually. Within the Ministry of Health’s plans, cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment equipment has been identified as a priority investment area.
Companies interested in exploring these opportunities or considering market entry to seize existing business opportunities, are encouraged to engage with the Gateway MedTech team to understand the specific needs and contribute to the significant healthcare services transformation in Morocco.
