فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez, Morocco – Participants at a national scientific symposium held in Fez on May 30 and 31 called for the urgent enactment of a modern law that better addresses crimes linked to mental disorders. The event, titled “Criminal Policy in the Field of Mental Health: Reality and Prospects,” highlighted current challenges and proposed solutions in this critical area.
Outdated Legal Framework and Shortage of Specialized Staff
During the symposium, Ratiba El-Ayadi, representative of the Regional Directorate of Health and Social Protection in Fez, emphasized that Dahir No. 1.58.29, issued in 1959, remains the “sole legal framework” governing this field in Morocco. She stressed that its antiquity poses a significant obstacle.
El-Ayadi pointed out that the health system suffers from a considerable delay, with fewer than one specialized psychiatrist per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to a European average of 9.4 psychiatrists per 100,000. She highlighted that this shortage of specialized staff is compounded by “social stereotypes and stigma within broad segments of Moroccan society,” where mental illnesses remain taboo, often pushing families towards practices of sorcery.
National Reform Strategy Underway
To address this situation, El-Ayadi explained that the Ministry of Health has begun implementing a reform strategy. This includes allocating 123 financial positions for 2024-2025, comprising 34 psychiatrists and 89 specialized nurses. The multi-sectoral National Strategic Plan for Mental Health by 2030 also aims to generalize integrated services and develop outpatient consultation units.
She added that Fez currently has three specialized care institutions: Ibn Al-Hassan Hospital (83 beds), Bab Jdid Mental Health Unit (which recorded 5,000 consultations in 2024), and the Tarik District Addiction Center.
Improving Access to Healthcare in Prisons
In a related context, Azeddine Chafiq, Director of Ras El Ma Local Prison and Acting Regional Delegate for the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, presented the integrated strategy adopted to improve inmates’ access to healthcare and treatment services. This strategy is based on Article 102 of Law 23.10, which defines the role of psychologists within correctional facilities.
Chafiq confirmed that the General Delegation, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the World Health Organization office in Morocco, has prepared a reference guide on health in prison settings, with the aim of establishing a framework consistent with international standards.
Recommendations for a Comprehensive Public Policy
For his part, Said El-Ouardi, Director of the Laboratory of Legal Studies and Digital Transformation at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, highlighted that the meeting brought together psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, judges, and lawyers, with the aim of diagnosing the current situation and proposing concrete recommendations to public authorities.
Participants presented recommendations centered on three priorities: enacting a modern law aligned with the 2011 Constitution and Morocco’s international human rights commitments, developing a public policy targeting individuals with mental disorders, and strengthening health coverage in the field of psychiatry.
According to the organizers, the objective of this forum is “to move beyond a situation that is no longer compatible with international developments in the field of mental health” and to work on developing modern approaches to care and prevention that simultaneously guarantee the rights of individuals with mental illnesses and public safety.
The event, which focused on the complex challenges linking mental health and criminal justice, was organized by the Laboratory of Legal Studies and Digital Transformation, in partnership with the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences in Fez, the Regional Human Rights Commission of the Fez-Meknes region, and in coordination with the Regional Delegation of Health and Social Protection in Fez and the Moroccan Observatory of Prisons.
