Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection, Amine Tahraoui, has announced a reform plan for the pharmaceutical sector after several reports of overpricing and abuses, according to media reports.
The pharmaceutical market in Morocco makes up a considerable chunk of the Kingdom’s annual revenue. It is valued at MAD 1.8 billion as of 2024.
Tahraoui views digitization as one of the best solutions for price gouging and manipulation.
Sources close to the matter noted that an advanced computer monitoring program is currently being set up to track the flow of drugs in real-time. The system will track pharmaceutical drugs from their production to distribution.
The monitoring system will track and detect any anomalies, such as price increases caused by stock shortages or diversions of stock to other sources.
The system is part of a context marked by an exponential increase in the need for medication, encouraged by the expansion of health coverage and exacerbated by the aging of the population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases.
Analysis of sectoral data showed that the costs of treating diabetes, hypertension, and cancer are increasing by an average of 12% per year, far exceeding the increase in the income of Moroccan households.
The reform plan also includes a price reduction for over 4,500 medications, notably for expensive and essential medications. Profit margins for wholesalers and pharmacies will be recalibrated based on international benchmarks and recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, the issues extend beyond financial concerns. Permanent disruptions in the medical supply chain have disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, especially in rural areas.
Field studies highlighted that 20% of rural health centers frequently run out of essential medicines such as insulin and antibiotics.
Drug smuggling further exacerbates the problem. With weak controls enabling illicit trade, an estimated 15% of drugs in circulation originate from the informal market, often lacking quality assurance and posing serious health risks.
The reform aligns with Morocco’s broader goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2025 while upgrading hospital infrastructure.
The 2025 finance law has allocated an additional MAD 1.9 billion to the health sector, supporting initiatives such as the establishment of regional pharmaceutical storage centers equipped with advanced traceability and temperature-control systems.