The Minister of Health and Social Protection, Khalid Ait Taleb, announced on Tuesday in Laayoune that the construction of the University Hospital Center (CHU) in Laayoune will be completed by the end of 2025.
During a field visit to the site of this massive project, Ait Taleb confirmed that the construction of this health facility is progressing at an accelerated pace, noting that all companies in charge of construction have mobilized their efforts to speed up the establishment of this hospital institution.
The Minister added that the University Hospital Center in Laayoune, with a capacity of 500 beds, will be a true medical hub serving the population of the southern regions of the kingdom. He explained that this project, which falls within the framework of a regional health map and territorial health groups, will be equipped with qualified human resources and will contribute to raising health indicators.
Ait Taleb also pointed out that the University Hospital Center in Laayoune will be a destination for health professionals from sub-Saharan African countries, as part of the South-South cooperation advocated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
For his part, Belkhir El Assri, representative of the Laayoune-Oued Eddahab Regional Directorate of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP), stated that the construction work of the Laayoune University Hospital Center has reached 65% and is progressing rapidly. He added that this project, which spans an area of 180,000 square meters, including 95,000 square meters of covered space, requires a budget estimated at 1.2 billion dirhams.
This project is part of the new development model for the southern provinces of the kingdom, and is expected to improve and diversify the health services in the southern regions, as well as support the training of students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Laayoune.
This five-story health facility will house many specialized departments, including a pole dedicated to mother and child care, a medical-surgical pole, and a medical pole, in addition to a day hospital. The center also includes an emergency department, an intensive care and resuscitation unit, an operating theater, a maternity ward, as well as a psychiatric hospital.
Mr. Ait Taleb’s visit took place in the presence of the Wali of the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region, Governor of Laayoune province, Abdeslam Bekrate, and the General Director of ANEP, Zineb Benmoussa.