WB Supports Morocco’s Social Protection and Health Insurance with $500 Mln Funding

The World Bank has approved a new $ 500 million loan for Morocco which is stepping efforts to improve social protection and expand health coverage to include the most vulnerable populations who have been hit the hardest by Covide-19, drought, international conflicts, inflation, Al Haouz earthquake.

“Morocco, like many other countries, continues to face a series of shocks, and the most vulnerable populations are the ones most impacted,” said Jesko Hentschel, WB Country Director for the Maghreb.

“Moroccans are showing great resilience, but to support them in this effort, the Government will continue to expand health insurance coverage, promote greater access to affordable health care countrywide, strengthen governance in the health care sector, support the implementation of the direct social benefits program, and improve protection against climatic risks”, he added.

The Moroccan government has made significant progress in implementing the reforms over the last year. For example, the number of people eligible for AMO (Mandatory Health Insurance – Assurance Maladie Obligatoire) has more than doubled, from 10 million (benefiting from RAMED, the medical assistance plan) to 22 million (eligible for AMO-Tadamon and AMO-TNS).

Moreover, the legal framework of the health sector has been overhauled, enabling the revamping of the national health system. The second round of financing will help to adapt health services to better respond to health risks.

The new financing also supports reforms to create and implement the direct social benefits program announced by King Mohammed VI in October 2023.