Morocco

Healthcare and medical care

Morocco has a public and a private healthcare system. The majority of healthcare units in the private sector are located in Casablanca, Rabat and in other larger towns. Outside large cities, healthcare services are limited. The level of healthcare is not the same as in Europe. There may be great differences between private and public hospitals.

Specialised medical care services are not always available. The standard of dental care is reasonable and prices compare with levels in Finland.

The people working in private and public hospitals are highly trained, but speak little or no English. Doctors and treatment personnel often speak French. At private clinics, good language skills are more common. Emergency treatment in public hospitals is free but, in practice, foreigners are required to pay a fee, for example, for treatment longer than one night. Treatment provided in Morocco´s private hospitals is of a higher standard than that given in the public sector and, whenever possible, it is recommended to go directly to a private clinic. If your condition requires more demanding treatment in Morocco, it is recommended that you seek the opinion of two different doctors.

Fees for doctor and hospital services are charged in cash from foreigners. The option to pay with a credit card is rare. You may have to pay in advance for using the ambulance service.

When travelling to Morocco, you should take out comprehensive travel insurance. Hotels in the largest tourist areas may have their own clinic or doctor. They provide treatment also outside ordinary appointment times. In Morocco, there are also doctors who do home visits.

If you are in Northern Morocco close to Ceuta or Melilla, the Spanish enclaves located on the African continent, you can go to  these (Ceuta, Melilla) regions of Spain, where you can receive treatment with the European Health Insurance Card.

Medication

Morocco has a very large number of pharmacies in towns and rural areas. The contact information for the on-call pharmacy is usually indicated on pharmacy doors or available via internet search services.The commonest prescription and over-the-counter medicines are widely available, but special medicines can be difficult to find. Sometimes pharmacies can order the necessary medicine at short delivery times. Pharmacies can also provide information on local medical services.