فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
In a worrying health situation, the Hassan II Regional Hospital in Agadir has been experiencing a state of partial paralysis for over a month due to a severe shortage of anesthetic drugs. This has sparked a wide-ranging debate about the efficiency of the Kingdom’s health system management.
According to the daily newspaper Al Ahdath Al Maghribia in its Wednesday, August 13th edition, this shortage has significantly impacted the surgical operations at the hospital, which receives patients from various regions of southern Morocco. This has forced the postponement of numerous operations, throwing both patients and medical staff into a state of uncertainty and frustration.
Medical Staff in a State of Disbelief
In statements to the newspaper, members of the medical staff expressed their “disbelief” at the situation. This crisis adds to a series of technical problems already plaguing the hospital, particularly the repeated breakdowns of equipment such as the CT scanner.
“How can a simple substance cause such a paralysis in the work of the region’s largest hospital?” one doctor asked the newspaper, expressing the extent of the dissatisfaction within the medical community.
Official Narrative vs. Staff Testimonies
In an attempt to contain the crisis as criticism grew on social media, the Regional Directorate of Health and Social Protection for the Souss-Massa region issued a statement. The statement claimed that the issue was not a “complete stock outage” but a “temporary shortage that was quickly resolved.”
The directorate alleged that a swift intervention by the Ministry of Health enabled the provision of the necessary quantities of anesthetics, allowing for the restoration of normal operations and ensuring the continuity of health services, especially in the emergency department, which was “handled competently” despite the supply difficulties.
Testimonies Contradict the Official Account
However, this official narrative is being challenged by several sources within the hospital. They confirm that the Ministry did not supply sufficient quantities of the drugs to meet the demand, leading to the postponement of many operations for more than six weeks.
The medical staff, already working under immense pressure, found their work obstructed, while patients endured a grueling wait.
In a case that highlights the severity of the problem, an elderly patient suffering a fracture had to purchase all the necessary equipment for her operation out of her own pocket. She was then forced to wait for over a month as her condition deteriorated before finally undergoing surgery on July 25th, following the arrival of a new batch of anesthetic drugs.
Coordination Failure Behind the Crisis
Observers believe that this crisis stems from a failure in coordination between the Regional Health Directorate and the Directorate in charge of drug and medical equipment supply. This entity is supposed to assess needs, plan deliveries, manage strategic stocks, and oversee purchasing and distribution.
In this instance, the mechanism malfunctioned, and the first to pay the price were the patients, followed by the medical staff, who found themselves powerless to perform their duties despite their competence and expertise.
