Former health minister calls for balance between AI and human care in Morocco’s health reforms
Former Moroccan health minister Yasmina Baddou has called for Morocco to mix new technology with human care as it updates its health system. She spoke to the specialised outlet SantéMag during the first “GITEX Future Health Africa – Morocco” event in Casablanca.
“Joining the revolution of artificial intelligence, robotics and the digitalisation of care pathways has become a necessary choice to keep pace with the development of health services and improve their efficiency,” she said. “Patient dignity and fair access to treatment must remain at the heart of any reform or modernisation of the health sector.”
She said the hospital of the future should not focus only on technology. “It must also improve reception conditions, provide enough staff and guarantee fair access to treatment, especially for vulnerable groups, rural populations, women and people in precarious situations.”
She called for stronger hospital management. “We need effective governance in hospitals based on performance indicators, continuous evaluation and efficient management,” she said. “Digitalisation can simplify medical appointments, reduce pressure on emergency departments and speed up the processing of medical records and health reports.”
She also spoke about the expansion of compulsory health coverage. “The generalisation of compulsory health coverage is a major social project that reflects a royal vision placing citizen dignity at the centre of social reforms,” she said. “Its implementation faced difficulties linked to the absence of a transition phase adapted to vulnerable groups. Digitalisation could have made registration and access smoother and fairer.”
On artificial intelligence, she said it could help diagnosis, remote surgery and medical data management. “The machine cannot replace the human element because medicine is above all a human relationship based on trust, dignity and care.”
She warned that modern treatments and equipment remain expensive. “The real challenge is not only acquiring advanced technology but ensuring that all citizens benefit from it fairly,” she said.
She ended by calling for cooperation between the public and private sectors and more investment in people and technology. She is president of the Amani Association.
