The Moroccan Center for Human Rights has called for an urgent investigation into the “shocking irregularities” that occurred at the emergency department of the local hospital in Souk Sebt Ouled Nemma on the night of Thursday, August 28, following an incident that sparked widespread anger and condemnation.

The center’s branch in Dar Ould Zaidouh issued an official statement urging the regional director of health and social protection in the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region to impose legal and administrative sanctions on anyone found negligent or reckless with citizens’ lives, warning against repeating such practices that deeply violate the constitutional right to health and treatment.

The statement highlighted that a one-month-and-twenty-day-old infant suffering from severe breathing difficulties experienced tragic moments inside the hospital after no doctor was available upon arrival. A trainee nurse only recorded administrative data without providing any assistance before the on-duty doctor arrived late and issued a referral to the regional hospital in Fquih Ben Salah without providing first aid.

The human rights center noted that a member of its local branch witnessed “shameful” scenes where some nurses were seen sitting in the hospital lobby with a security guard and a private ambulance driver, laughing loudly while the infant was fighting for her life. Even worse, two nurses ordered the security guard to close the hospital door in the family’s face, claiming a family member tried to film the situation, leading to the family being detained with the infant for over 20 minutes until the national police intervened.

The center confirmed that these events represent a flagrant violation of national laws and international charters, notably Article 31 of the Constitution that guarantees the right to treatment, as well as relevant international agreements.

It stressed that the continuation of these irregularities renders the local hospital a “building empty of its content,” amid closed wards, a severe shortage of medical staff, and the absence of essential specialties such as pediatrics, surgery, and obstetrics.

The statement called for sending a fact-finding committee to assess the “dire” condition of the hospital and to investigate the status of a public ambulance bearing the number J 212703, which remained parked inside the hospital lobby without being put into service.

The Moroccan Center for Human Rights concluded by holding the regional health director responsible and recalling the royal speech calling for accountability, noting that continued negligence undermines citizens’ trust in public health facilities and threatens their constitutional right to treatment.

Mohamed Akram, head of the Moroccan Center for Human Rights branch in Dar Ould Zaidouh, commented that the health project launched by His Majesty the King was expected to be a beacon of hope for the residents of Souk Sebt Ouled Nemma, but citizens were surprised by a reality contrary to their aspirations, describing the local hospital’s situation as catastrophic. He emphasized that what is happening inside cannot be considered a mere professional error but a blatant manifestation of lack of professional conscience and disregard for citizens’ lives.

Akram explained that the emergency department, which is supposed to be the first line of defense to save patients, has turned into a space of negligence and indifference, with gatherings and laughter in the hospital lobby.

The head of the center’s branch noted that the health facility suffers from serious deficiencies on many levels, including the closure of vital departments such as the operating room and pediatrics, as well as a severe shortage of medical staff, with the complete absence of an obstetrician and surgeon, and a pediatrician present only two days a week. The medical transport fleet has also stopped functioning after the hospital’s ambulance broke down.

The spokesperson concluded by affirming that the human rights center “will not stand idly by these violations,” announcing that it is preparing a comprehensive report on the health situation in the area, considering the letter to the regional health director as an “urgent call for intervention and sending specialized committees to investigate these violations and take measures to guarantee the constitutional right to treatment.”

Meanwhile, a medical source told Hespress that the medical and nursing staff at the local hospital are performing their duties with continuous efforts, especially in the emergency department.

The source added that the hospital receives dozens of patients daily from the city and surrounding communities, noting that some reactions from patients’ companions sometimes lead to exceptional incidents, but these cases remain rare and limited.

The Hespress source stated that the ambulance mentioned in the previous statement belongs to the Kidney Failure Association, funded by the Beni Mellal-Khenifra Regional Council, and has no connection to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection or the hospital administration. There is also a duty management system according to applicable laws.

The source added that the on-duty doctor provided urgent medical care to the infant concerned, noting that due to the need for precise and specialized emergency interventions, she was transferred to the regional hospital in Fquih Ben Salah to receive intensive care under the supervision of a specialized respiratory care team.

Our source confirmed that the incident was not related to the infant’s condition but to the recording of a video of the health staff inside the facility, stressing that the administration is committed to protecting the reputation of its medical and administrative staff and reserves the full legal right to resort to the judiciary in case of defamation or harming the employees’ reputation.