Morocco starts first prison medicine diploma to improve inmate healthcare
Morocco has launched its first university diploma in prison medicine to improve healthcare for inmates.
The program will train doctors to deal with the unique medical challenges inside prisons.
The diploma was developed by Morocco’s prison administration in partnership with Hassan II University and the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Casablanca.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is also supporting the project. Officials say it is the first of its kind in both Africa and the Arab world.
The first training session will take place on February 21 and 22 at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Casablanca.
Twenty doctors working in the prison system have been chosen for the program. The training will focus on medical, ethical, and legal aspects of treating inmates.
Authorities say the diploma is a big step toward improving prison healthcare and could lead to more international cooperation.
The launch of the program comes at a time when Moroccan prisons are facing a rise in measles cases. As of January 31, 122 cases had been recorded in different facilities, with 105 inmates recovering and the rest still sick. In response, the health ministry started a mass vaccination campaign inside prisons.
More than 62,000 inmates and 1,900 prison staff have received the vaccine.
Officials say the new diploma will help doctors better handle such health issues in prisons. "This is a major step in strengthening prison healthcare," the prison administration said.
