The Minister of Health and Social Protection Reaffirms Morocco’s Commitment to Universal Health Coverage in Tokyo

Health Minister Amine Tehraoui Participates in High-Level Universal Health Coverage Forum in Tokyo

Morocco at the Forefront of Universal Health Coverage

Health Minister Amine Tehraoui’s participation in this high-level meeting, alongside representatives from about twenty selected countries, reaffirms the strong commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, towards implementing universal health coverage and social protection, particularly in light of the progress made in reforming the healthcare system and expanding universal health coverage.

During his remarks at a ministerial roundtable dedicated to the Global Pact for Universal Health Coverage, the Minister emphasized that the forum serves as a major political step towards transitioning from commitments to achieving tangible progress. He expressed his appreciation to the Japanese Government, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization for organizing this event, which will contribute to preparations for the high-level meeting on universal health coverage scheduled for 2027.

In this context, the Minister reminded attendees that Morocco, under the enlightened guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has made universal health coverage a central pillar of its social project by adopting a clear political choice focused on the generalization of social protection.

Significant Advances in Healthcare System Reform

This direction has resulted in achieving a mandatory health coverage rate of 88% of the population. The Minister also indicated that these reforms have been accompanied by a substantial increase in funding for the healthcare sector, with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection’s budget quadrupling from 2010 to 2026, reaching 42.4 billion dirhams, which is nearly 8.8% of the state’s overall budget.

The Minister asserted that the ongoing reform dynamic creates a conducive environment for launching innovative partnerships, noting that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are now an essential lever for enhancing financing and improving the quality of healthcare services. He reaffirmed Morocco’s determination to achieve universal health coverage by 2030, based on a clear vision of structural reforms and wide national mobilization. He reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to implementing the “Health Pact for Universal Health Coverage,” through concrete measures aimed at reducing financial barriers, modernizing healthcare infrastructures, strengthening investments in human resources, and expanding the contribution of the private sector.

Moreover, the Minister emphasized Morocco’s willingness to take on a leadership role in Africa through South-South cooperation, highlighting that this forum serves as a strategic platform to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, strengthen mechanisms for transparency and accountability, and ensure tangible results for populations.

Strengthening Bilateral and International Cooperation

The high-level forum aims to enhance international momentum towards achieving universal health coverage by reviewing progress made, identifying challenges, and accelerating the implementation of policies needed to attain universal health coverage by 2030 and beyond. It also seeks to strengthen coordination and partnerships among national and international actors and to provide a platform for announcing or renewing national health commitments, including national health pacts.

This forum, attended by health and finance ministers from several countries, as well as public and private sector stakeholders and international partners, is part of the “Health 1.5” initiative. This initiative aims to support countries in developing and implementing their national health pacts, strengthen efforts for equitable access to quality healthcare services, and bolster global health security.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Minister of Health and Social Protection held bilateral meetings with Mr. Eduardo Clark García Dobarganes, Undersecretary for Sectoral Integration and Coordination of Medical Care Services in Mexico, Mr. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, and Mr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The discussions focused on the exchange of experiences in pharmaceutical development, digitization of health services, implementing universal health coverage, and strengthening partnerships for health preparedness and response. The three parties emphasized the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation around common priorities.

The event was also marked by the official launch of the “UHC Knowledge Hub,” a mechanism to support the technical, financial, and institutional capacities of countries, aligning political commitments with concrete implementation plans.